Hidden in Plain Sight
by Boo Radley 5000
Summary: Sequel to Troubles and Decisions. Stand-Alone. The epilogue didn't cover everything that happened. The story of how Richard and Rachel begin to adjust to their new life together while trying to cope with their past.
1. Continuance

**Author's Note:**

So after a few years, I actually decided to go ahead and make a sequel to Troubles and Decisions. This one is more of a recovery one, than the huge plotting logistics of the first. It's actually a stand-alone as well- knowledge of the first isn't necessary to follow along. Originally it was going to be just one simple chapter outlining all of the events, but then it somehow changed into 115 pages and counting, so I've got quite a bit of this one written already. I just have to wait for my beta, Vo, to catch up. Vo didn't beta this part, but I wanted it out.

Story picks up directly where the epilogue left off.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

Chapter One

Continuance

Quote:

"Life must be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward."

-Soren Kierkegaard

* * *

Richard had insisted that two of them sleep in his bed with him. He could barely sleep all night as he kept waking to look back at Rachel and his child _his child_ sleeping beside him.

As it got closer to the morning he slipped out of the bed and headed to the kitchen. He was planning on making breakfast for his family. Cooking was something that he had become quite proficient in during his years without a butler or friends to help him.

Richard opened his refrigerator and noticed how pitifully stocked it was. He had thrown himself into work more as time went on and rarely even ate anymore. He sighed and then froze as he heard the near silent footsteps behind him. He snapped around and then was looking down at his sleepy-eyed daughter.

"You left," she said in her little girl voice that made Richard smile.

"I came to make breakfast," he replied as he gazed at her. She seemed so beautiful to him.

She came to stand next to him and gazed into the refrigerator as well. He felt slightly bad that she should see the sorry state of his refrigerator and then had to fight off the urge to laugh. He was afraid of being judged by a girl that barely reached his knees.

"Rosie always makes French toast," Robyn commented. "Do you have any?"

"We could make some," Richard said, eyeing the eggs and milk, "Does your mother like them as well?"

"They're good," Robyn went on. "Mommy likes them too. So does Rosie."

"So we should make some?" he asked her as he reached in for the eggs.

Robyn's hand beat his. "I can get that."

"Okay, then," he said as he looked at this odd creature that was his daughter.

She took the carton in her small hands and walked over to the counter. She stopped for a moment. "Your kitchen is a lot bigger than ours is."

Richard stopped. "It's your kitchen too now."

"Ours isn't this messy," she told him.

He looked around. Nothing was messy, it just wasn't…clean. There _was_ a rather shameful layer of dust on everything and admittedly a large amount of paperwork was spread across the table and there was a dish or two in the sink, but still.

"Don't worry, I'll help you clean it," she said as she pushed the carton onto the counter. It was almost out of her reach.

Richard grinned at the fact that a four-year-old planned on helping him get his kitchen back in order. "Thank you very much Robyn," he said.

She nodded and began pushing a chair over to the counter. "You get everything else."

Richard got out the rest of the ingredients and the bowls and mixing cups and spoons and they were in the midst of adding cinnamon in companionable silence when Robyn finally spoke again. "I'm glad that I have a daddy now."

He felt a strange mix of emotions. One was a great happiness to hear her say that and to know that she liked him. The other was pulled from the great reminder of the fact that they hadn't been together. "I'm glad that I have a daughter now," he replied.

"Mommy always said that I had a daddy, but Rosie said I didn't."

Richard didn't say anything as he let her add the cinnamon. "Then mommy said awhile ago that I would finally get to see my daddy," she was adding the cinnamon slowly making a swirling design. "I told Rosie and then I got in trouble. Rosie and mommy got in a fight."

"About what?" asked Richard as he handed her a rubber spoon to begin stirring with.

"Mommy was going to give me to my daddy and Rosie said she was dumb," Robyn began stirring diligently. "I don't think Rosie likes you."

"Well she doesn't even know me, does she?" Richard asked as he pulled out a griddle.

"I'm not allowed to touch those," Robyn said as she pointed at the griddle, "They burn me very badly."

Richard smiled at her. "Is that from experience?"

"Yes. But mommy fixed it."

"She used her magic?" Richard asked as he took the egg-soaked slice of bread that Robyn was holding out to him and put it on the griddle.

Robyn looked at him almost sharply. "You know about those?"

"I helped train her," he replied as he adjusted the temperature setting.

"What does that mean?" she asked as she watched the toast sizzle.

Richard hesitated. He didn't know exactly how much he should tell her. "You'll have to ask your mother about that."

"You don't know?" she asked somewhat doubtfully. "You don't know what your own words mean?"

"Not always," he replied.

"Does mommy still have to leave?" Robyn asked suddenly. It was clear that she had been thinking about this for quite awhile.

Richard went over to her and grabbed her up in one arm- god, she was small. She was still holding another batter-dripping piece of bread and it dripped all over his arm and down to the floor but he ignored it. "No. You and your mommy are going to live with me forever. I won't let either of you leave."

There was a mix of relief and confusion on her face. "Not even to the park?"

"We can go to the park," he amended while suppressing a smile.

"What about the store?" Robyn asked. "Or to Rosie's? Or the hospital?"

"We'll still go to all of those places," he said quickly. "You've been to the hospital?"

"Mommy works there," Robyn said. "I play with the sick people."

Robyn was looking warily at the steaming griddle. "Don't put me too close. It burns me," she reminded him.

Richard shifted her further to the side and she held onto him tightly and then rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired of cooking. You finish it."

He was so caught up in the incredible feeling of holding his daughter that he didn't hear Raven- no _Rachel_- walk into the room. "Not as clean as I had originally hoped, but beautiful nonetheless."

He spun around and felt his heart leap as he looked at her. The long black hair hung messily around her shoulders and she was dressed in a pair of his pajamas. She was beautiful. Robyn clung tighter to him and giggled slightly as they spun and Richard could see that Rachel hadn't been talking about his kitchen when she said beautiful.

Richard walked over to her and held her to him as he kissed her. It was like soothing an ache that he had felt for so many years and he felt lost for a moment.

"You aren't supposed to kiss people like that. It's naughty."

Rachel and Richard broke apart and Richard felt slightly dizzy as he looked back at the child he was holding in one arm. "Rosie told me that."

"It's okay for mommies and daddies to do that, Bennie," Rachel said as she reached forward and pulled the girl into her arms. "Ro- Richard the food is going to burn."

He was distracted by the sight of the two before him. "Daddy," Robyn said as she pointed behind him. "You fix the food now."

It was with great warmth that he turned around and went back to the griddle. It felt incredible hearing the word daddy from the mouth of his daughter. How ridiculous that such a small thing should make him feel so happy.

"Hey Bennie, are you going to help me clean up this kitchen?" Rachel asked as she set her daughter down.

"Yeah, I already told daddy that I would," Robyn said as she headed to the table.

Robyn stood on a chair and began handing Rachel paper from the big stack on the table one-by-one. It was going to take awhile. "Hey Richard, where should I put these?"

"Just…stick them somewhere, it doesn't really matter," he said as he tried to remember what they even were.

"Okay, that sounds easy enough," she replied dryly, making him grin.

They all worked in silence for a moment before Rachel asked, "When are you going into work today?"

The thought suddenly struck him as he just now remembered that he had a job and not just a family- _family­_- and that things in the outside world were going to continue to make demands on him.

"I'll call them after breakfast. I'm not going in today. I think that I'll take a little vacation," he said as he gathered up a plate full of food and turned around.

Rachel glanced at him and then began gathering up the papers at a quicker rate. "I'll just finish this up."

Robyn nodded and then walked towards the cabinets. "I'll set the table." She looked at Richard expectantly. "Pick me up."

He smiled as he did what she commanded and helped her open the cabinet doors. Rachel looked up as Robyn reached inside. "You have to help her hold th-"

Robyn dropped the plates that she had been trying to drag out and three of the shattered on the floor. She looked up at Richard with a trembly face and he realized that she expected to get in trouble. "It doesn't matter," he said lightly as he reached for different plates instead.

"Bennie you know better," Rachel said.

"He let me do it!" Robyn retorted.

"Well he's never had to deal with a-" Rachel suddenly hesitated, "A four-year-old in his kitchen before."

Richard caught her eyes as the unspoken words suddenly made the air thicker. There was a slightly sad expression on her face. He moved forward and took hold of her hand, staring into her eyes as their enormous history passed through in the space of seconds. He squeezed her hand tightly and then went back to Robyn to help continue breakfast.

After breakfast was finished and Robyn went to work wiping down the table, alone by her own insistence, Rachel spoke with Richard near the doorway, just out of Robyn's earshot.

"I don't have any new clothing here or anything really," she said quietly. "I wasn't expecting to stay here with you."

Richard smiled. "It's nothing to worry about. As surprising as it is, I'm kind of rich. You can get new things."

"But until then can I just…borrow some clothes?" she asked.

"If you want," he said but then gave her a strange expression. "Why not just phase to your old…home and grab what you need?"

"I don't use my powers anymore," Rachel said bluntly. "It's not worth the risk. I've been in hiding since I left."

"Robyn knows about them," he said.

Rachel looked slightly guilty. "I use them to heal her. And some of the patients that I worked with. But that's it."

Richard grinned and leaned against the doorframe. "What does Robyn have here?"

"Just some clothes, and this blanket that she is obsessed with. I couldn't really bring her bed with her, after all."

"You didn't bring Mrs. Hopscotch?" a voice interrupted.

Richard smiled down at the sober looking child. "Who's Mrs. Hopscotch?"

Rachel sighed. "She's an old stuffed rabbit that Robyn found at Rosie's. Robyn has much better and cleaner toys and dolls and stuffed animals, but she insists on dragging that dirty thing around."

"Well we have to go get Mrs. Hopscotch," Richard said suppressing a smirk. "She's a dear friend, after all."

"Come on Bennie," Rachel said holding out her hand, "It's time to get dressed."

Richard watched them walk down the hallway and then he went into his office to use a phone. He call up his secretary, a man name Jonathon Lake, and informed him that he would be taking the next two weeks off and to call if there was an emergency.

When he went back into his bedroom he saw Rachel brushing out Robyn's long black hair before beginning to braid it into pigtails. Rachel had borrowed a pair of jeans from him and worn her sweatshirt from the day before.

"Hey daddy," Robyn said. "Do you like my dress?"

She was in a little pink dress with yellow leggings. "Of course," he said.

"Quit moving your head so much," Rachel commanded, as she bound the elastic band around one of the pigtails.

Robyn gave a long-suffering sigh and sat back. "Hurry up."

As soon as Rachel finished Robyn hurried over to the suitcase and began rooting through it until she found a small knapsack. "I didn't think that you were really into pink and yellow," Richard said while he watched Robyn struggle to put her arms through the straps.

"Robyn likes the bright colors. She can be something of a spectacle sometimes," Rachel murmured back. "Kind of like her father was." Her hand found his.

They drove in Rachel's car, she had the child-seat in it already, to the nearest strip. Richard held Rachel's hand the entire time and he couldn't stop gazing at her.

Once they were parked Robyn went around to Rachel and demanded to be held. "I'm tired of holding you," Rachel said, "You're getting too big."

"I can carry you," Richard said.

"No," Robyn said quickly. "I don't want you to."

Richard straightened up. "Then you'll have to walk," Rachel said flatly.

Robyn stomped angrily ahead of them until they reached the end of the parking lot. She looked around at all of the people milling around and she backed up. "I don't think I want to go in there," she said.

"Let your daddy hold you," Rachel said.

Robyn looked up at Richard consideringly. Finally she nodded. "You're big enough to scare those others," she said while holding her arms up at him.

He picked her up and she put one of her arms around his back and then sat up so she could still see. She swung one foot around while looking around at everyone. "Don't let go of me," she said.

Richard told her he wouldn't. Rachel smiled and in they walked.

* * *

Review please. 


	2. Mob Mentality

I've decided to up the amount of writing in each chapter because I have so much material written already. Still unbeta'ed. Thank you guys so much for the reviews, I really appreciate it!

Disclaimer: I do not own it.

* * *

Chapter Two

Mob Mentality

Quote:

"Journalists are like dogs, when ever anything moves they begin to bark."

-Arthur Schopenhaur

* * *

Their first stop was at a clothing store where Rachel could pick up a new series of clothing. She did so quickly, showing her old impatience for shopping as she checked sizes and prices and pulled them down without a second thought. Richard watched her with some amusement before he said, "You don't have to check the price, you know. Just get whatever you want."

"Being rich doesn't give you the right to be ridiculous," she said without looking up. "It just means that you can buy what you need."

She finally stopped as though satisfied. "No," he told her. "You've got to pick up some nice things too."

"These are nice," Rachel said gesturing to the clothing.

"I mean that you need fancy things."

After a moment a look of comprehension appeared on her face. "That's right, you have to go to a lot of boring parties," she said distastefully.

"All of the time, and they're tedious," he agreed.

"I'm bored and I have to go to the bathroom," Robyn suddenly announced.

Rachel told him that he had to pick out what she needed while she took Robyn to the bathroom. He chose various things with prices that he _knew_ Rachel would disapprove of and headed quickly to the checkout desk before she could return and object. The total was several thousand dollars and he charged it to his account. He signed the receipt and the saleslady's eyes widened.

"Richard Grayson?" she asked. "As in, the owner of Wayne Industries, Richard Grayson?"

"Well yes," he said suddenly uncomfortable.

"Wow," she said. "You're just as handsome as your pictures." She blushed crimson. "I mean- wow, I can't believe it's really you!"

"Right," he said. "It's been a pleasure to meet you. Thank you very much for everything."

He quickly picked up the packages and walked towards the bathrooms. Rachel and Robyn were just outside. "Sorry," Rachel said. "Bennie managed to get water everywhere."

"That's fine," he assured her. "The saleslady was pretty talkative."

"Hold me," Robyn said.

The top half of her was wet and it was dampening his own shirt as Robyn clung to him. "I told you," Rachel said as she picked up the packages.

He didn't reply and instead took hold of her hand with his free hand and they walked out of the store. "Let's go drop these off at your car so we can keep going," he said.

This time as they were walking through the mall and towards the furniture store more people recognized him. No-one was actually brash enough to come up and say anything but they whispered to one another.

Richard and Rachel ignored it.

At the furniture store they let Robyn run around and pick out what she wanted for her own bedroom and then again for a playroom. "You're going to spoil her," Rachel commented as they checked out the different types of play-sets. "And then all of my hard work will be wasted."

He squeezed her hand in reply.

The man at the checkout counter jerked his head up in surprise when he heard the address for where the things were to be delivered. "That's the Wayne Manor, isn't it?" he asked.

Richard nodded as Robyn came up to grab his hand and try to pull him towards the door. "Let's _go,_ daddy!"

The man's eyes widened. "Didn't know you had any kids," he said as he eyed the little black-haired girl.

"Thank you for your help," Rachel said and then turned to leave.

There was a steady buzz as they walked through the mall this time with people actually pointing and walking behind. "Should we leave?" Rachel quietly asked Richard.

"No," he answered back in the same hushed voice. "They're bound to find out anyway. Besides we aren't done yet."

"We could come back later," she said.

"It'll be worse later," he answered as they turned into a childhood store.

Robyn was deeply excited by the store and tried to run around but Rachel wouldn't let go of her hand. A fair amount of people with no children were walking near the store.

There was no leisurely choosing this time. They picked up several new outfits, toys, books, DVDs, games, a booster seat, a car-seat, sheets and comforters. They paid the bill to a salesclerk who had been staring wide-eyed since the moment they had walked into the store.

Rachel was still holding Robyn's hand as they exited the store and faced the crowd of watchers who were now openly taking pictures with cell-phones. One man was crowing about how much money he would make with the photograph.

The instant they left the mall they were surrounded by paparazzi that began flashing their cameras over and over again as they shouted questions. Robyn's eyes went wide and she screamed and flung herself at Richard, "Hold me, daddy!"

He managed to hold the bags and Robyn as she buried her head into his shoulder and began crying. Rachel took a few of the bags from Richard and he grabbed her hand and pulled them through the haze of reporters while looking at the ground.

The cameras kept on flashing as Richard strapped the still crying Robyn into her car-seat and then climbed into the car. There was a silence as they drove away and then Richard started laughing quietly. "I think they know about you now."

Rachel began laughing too. "Well that's a relief. I was a bit worried about how we would have had to go about it."

"Right," he continued. "Now we don't have to worry about it."

"It was very kind of them to have taken care of it for us," she said with a slightly trembling laugh.

Robyn had stopped crying as she listened to both of her parents laugh. "They were scary," she said as she wiped her wet eyes.

"No, they just wanted a picture of you in your beautiful dress," Richard said.

Robyn seemed to cheer up considerably. "I want Mrs. Hopscotch."

Rachel glanced at Richard. "I don't think that we can head out for awhile, Bennie."

"But I want Mrs. Hopscotch," Robyn repeated.

"We do need more food," Richard admitted.

There was silence for a moment. "I can call Rosie. She'll bring all of that stuff," Rachel said slowly.

"I love Rosie," Robyn commented from the backseat.

* * *

There was a media explosion. Literally overnight, the billionaire owner of Wayne Industries gained a girlfriend and a daughter. A four-year-old daughter at that. There was a scramble to get information. Who was this girlfriend? How did she know Richard? Why had no one known about this child?

There were no records. Richard Grayson had never dated (what was her name?) Rachel Roth. The only girl that he had ever been known to be at all involved with was Barbara Gordon and even then it wasn't certain that it was a romantic relationship.

But pieces of the past began slowly floating the surface. No one could find any records on Rachel Roth since before she was eighteen years old. She had quietly appeared in a city in Pennsylvania and applied for a job at a hospital. She worked as a receptionist but quickly took on duties of caring for patients. 

When questioned former patients or relatives of the deceased gave glowing stories about her strange sense for when and where she was needed as well as how patients flourished after simply being around her.

There were no hospital records to time the birth of the baby (Robyn, was it?), the reporters couldn't even find a birthday. It was known that a neighbor lady watched after Rachel's child while she was at work, but the neighbor refused to comment.

Surprisingly a number of people remembered having seen Robyn Roth. They said that Rachel would bring Robyn in to visit some of the elderly patients who seemed to delight in the girl.

Outside of work no one knew much of Rachel Roth. There was simply no real information on her. A few storekeepers remembered her as a polite person who would bring in Robyn to go shopping with her and a local librarian also recognized the two.

But there were no juicy details, nothing that was _really_ nasty. So the media got to make up their own.

"She's a gold-digger," the talk-show host said into his microphone to an applauding audience. "A woman that was a past mistake who's fallowing him now to get her hands on his money-"

"-really his child?" a serious newscaster asked a supposed photograph expert. "Can you tell us whether this child is the real child of Richard Grayson of Wayne Industries? The child has the black hair and the blue eyes. Though the mother does too and who know what her real eye color-"

"-obviously one of those women who says she's on the pill when she isn't. One of the ones who like to beget children from wealthy men and then roll in the splendor of all of the cash," a particularly vicious looking man said.

A woman with carefully curled hair and a professional smile was speaking into the camera, "When you note that the first place that either of them showed up was in a _mall_ it makes it clear exactly what kind of affair is going on. The estimated costs of Rachel's shopping spree were over a hundred thousand, with around a quarter of it going purely towards the _new mother's_ wardro-"

"-want to know is where have these two been?" a new man was saying with calculated sharpness. "Is this a case of a woman who went out with Mr. Grayson years ago who is trying to pass off this child as his? What other reason could-"

"I don't think they like me very much," Rachel commented as Richard took the remote from her and turned off the television in disgust.

"The media has never been known for its intelligence," Richard said with contempt. "They're all a bunch of wolves."

The two of them were lying on the sofa together, taking a break from setting up Robyn's new bedroom. Robyn was sleeping on the bed in Richard's room and would likely be out for another two hours. Rachel lifted her head from Richard's chest in order to look him in the eyes. "Did my clothing really cost that much?"

He stroked her hair. "I picked out a few extra things while you were away," he admitted. "It's nothing really though. They should be reporting how much _my_ wardrobe costs."

"You're a snob, aren't you," Rachel dryly observed as she laid her head back on his chest and traced her fingers along his shoulder.

"You'll soon be one too," Richard said sleepily as he let his hand fall on her back.

They lay in silence for a few moments before Rachel started to move. "No," she said. "We have to finish putting Robyn's room together."

Richard groaned and tried to pull her back down. "We have all day. Just let me hold you for awhile."

She had a knee on either side of him now and she leaned closer to him. "No, we only have two hours to finish putting her room together."

She slipped out of his grasp and yanked on his hand for a moment. "Besides," she said as she started walking away, "If we finish this now then we'll be able to sleep alone tonight."

Immediately Richard opened his eyes and sat up for a moment. "True enough," he said as he followed her out.

* * *

"Robyn's awake," Rachel noted as Richard finished making the bed and Rachel threaded the curtain rod through the much more cheerful curtains that they had picked up.

"Where's she at?" Richard asked as he went over to help her place the rod back at the top of the window.

"I don't know," Rachel said. "I just know that she's awake."

Richard nodded and went out to find her. Robyn was sitting on the edge of his big bed swinging her little legs while she yawned. "Hey daddy," she said when she was finished.

"Hey Bennie," he replied and sat next to her. She leaned against him tiredly. "Your mommy and I finished your new room," there was no comment, "do you want to see it?"

She nodded sleepily and yawned again. Richard grinned and picked her up.

Her new bedroom was beautiful. It was filled with everything that could be used to spoil a child and Robyn's eyes widened when she saw it. "Let me down," she said while wriggling out of Richard's grasp.

He dropped her and she immediately headed over to her bed and crawled on it. "It's green," she said pointing to the bedspread. "I love green."

"Good," Rachel said. "After four years of living with her I have learned her favorite color."

Richard's smile immediately left his face as the words hit him. Four years. He didn't know her favorite color. Or her favorite food. Or her favorite games or stories. He had missed four_ years_.

Rachel looked up at him and seemed to immediately realize what she had said and its significance. She went to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'm so sorry."

Her arms tightened around him trying to become closer. He suddenly returned the embrace. She knew. She knew all about it. He almost broke down as he heard Robyn's happy exclamation from the adjoining playroom.

"We're better," Rachel whispered in his ear, "We're so much better Richard. All of that is behind us, and we have everything we want now. And we'll be happy."

His hands couldn't find a proper hold on her; he couldn't get her close enough. "I'll never let you go. You'll never leave me."

* * *

It was hard to get Robyn to bed that night. She was so excited about her new room and yet she was scared to be sleeping alone.

"I want Mrs. Hopscotch," she said fretfully.

"Rosie is bringing her tomorrow," Rachel told while stroking the side of her cheek.

"But I want her _now_," Robyn said quietly.

Richard had a strange expression on his face as he spoke. "You can sleep with us again if you want."

"No," Robyn said. "I want to sleep in my bed."

"You just have to shut your eyes then Bennie," Rachel said.

Richard had a slightly calculating look on his face and he looked up at Rachel. She watched him curiously as he left the room. She continued trying to soothe Robyn who lay there with a troubled expression on her face. Richard walked back in the room and handed Robyn a very familiar looking device. Raven's eyes widened.

"This is a communicator, Bennie," Richard said as she turned the communicator around in her little hands. "I have the other one. All you have to do is press this button and I'll find you immediately. Try it."

Robyn pressed the button and immediately Richard's communicator flashed and made a noise. He pressed his on and she could see his face over the screen. "See," he said, "I'll be able to keep you safe."

Robyn looked reassured and it took little effort after that to get her to go to sleep. They left the door open and then headed down the hallway to Richard's room. Richard lay down on the bed and Rachel followed after him. She picked up the communicator that had fallen from his fingers and examined it.

"I haven't seen one of these in years," she said quietly.

"I've got all of them," he said, propping himself up to look at it as well.

"You became Nightwing, didn't you?" Rachel said.

"Yeah, I did."

"But you stopped?"

Richard covered her hand on the communicator. "It's different."

Rachel was silent. She knew what he meant. "What have you been doing all of this time?" he asked her.

Rachel lay down on the bed. He moved closer to her and turned inwards so that he was looking at her. He still had her hand in his.

"I left the Tower," she began and then stopped.

That single sentence signified so much. It was when they ended. It was the last time that Richard or Rachel had seen each other or any of their other teammates, their friends, their family. It was the ending of everything. The end of their old lives. Their teenage-selves, their goodness. It was the end of the times when they liked themselves.

Rachel didn't realize that she was crying until she tried to draw breath. She was choking. Richard pulled her closer and she vaguely realized that he was crying as well. There had been so much pain in their lives. It wasn't a relief but it provided an undertone of comfort in their grief to know that the other understood.

The stiff pain of the past years was melting into something that coursed through them and made them and let them feel all of it in this excruciating release.

Rachel slowly became aware of Richard repeating, "It's over."

She held him, her fingers gripping tightly. "We're starting over," she whispered back. "It will be everything that we lost. We'll have all of it."

Richard heart was breaking under the weight of everything. The parents he lost, the cold childhood, the loss of Bruce, the loss of Alfred, the loss of his teammates, of his daughter, of his Raven. He wouldn't, _couldn't_ let her go ever again. "If you leave me again I'll die," he said quietly. "I'll lose it. I'll be done."

"I won't," Rachel said as she pressed her lips against his, "I won't ever leave," she broke away as another painful jolt hit her body. Richard was her constant. He was the one that was there for her. Everyone else was gone. No one loved her like he did. No one saved her as often, held her as often, believed in her as often. He knew her. He knew everything about her and he would be whatever she needed.

Eventually the exhaustion won against the terrible pain and they fell asleep together above the blankets and in their regular street clothes.

* * *

A bell rang through the house. Rachel went up to one of the panels on the wall and pressed the intercom button, "Who is it?"

"It's Rosie."

Immediately Robyn ran out from where she and Richard had been playing pirates in the playroom and went for the front door. Rachel pressed the button to unlock the gates as Robyn flung open the door.

Rosie finished parking the car and as soon as she stepped out Robyn ran forward and jumped in her arms. She hugged the girl close and suddenly seemed to notice the cameras flashing outside of the gates. She brought Robyn inside, shut the door, and then swung her in a circle. "How's my little Bennie-Bug?" she said to the giggling child.

Rosie was a Hispanic woman in her mid-forties who had a commanding air about her, though her friendly demeanor greatly softened her. "I'm good," Robyn said as she pulled away, "How are you?"

"I'm surprised to see that you're a pirate," Rosie said taking in Robyn's appearance. She had a bandanna tied around her hair and an eye-patch on.

"I was fighting the pirate king," Robyn said as means of explanation.

Rosie followed her gaze up to Richard who had wandered out. He apparently realized that he was holding a plastic sword and that he had a bandanna on as well. He pulled off the bandanna with a rather foolish smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you Ms. Manual. I'm Richard."

"I know who you are," Rosie said in a slightly cold voice. She turned back to Robyn. "Let's get that eye-patch off you, it'll make you cross-eyed."

She pulled the eye-patch off but Robyn wiggled away before she could take off the bandanna. "Hello Rosie," Rachel said warmly as she went forward and hugged her.

"Rachel, I'm so glad to see you!" Rosie exclaimed. "And especially to see that you're still with Bennie."

Richard felt the intended sting but Rachel didn't seem to notice yet. "Come help me bring in everything," Rosie said. "And Bennie I have a special something that for you in the car."

Robyn raced out to the car. Rachel followed quickly. "We can't really let her out on her own yet," she said. "There's still too much press."

Sure enough, the cameras were already clicking as they caught sight of their two latest and newest subjects. The ones that they got high prices for. The two latest and most suspicious additions to the Grayson family.

Rosie's car was packed. She had brought all of the important things from Rachel's old apartment as well as some of her own things and several bags of groceries. It took a few trips to get everything in before they could shut the doors away from those prying eyes.

"How long are you going to stay with us?" Rachel asked as she began to put the groceries away.

"I was thinking until the hype died down a bit. I figure that I can go into town for you instead and help keep Bennie-bug safe."

Both Rachel and Richard had to suppress a smile at that. Both of them were ex-superheroes and therefore slightly more prepared than Rosie to keep their daughter safe. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want," Raven said.

Robyn was bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Where is she?" she demanded.

"Where's who?" Rosie teased.

"Mrs. Hopscotch! Where is she?"

"Ah, Mrs. Hopscotch. Well in order to keep her safe I put her in my handbag," Rosie said as she lifted out a tired and worn looking rabbit out of her bag.

Robyn clapped her hands excitedly before grabbing the bunny and hugging it to her chest.

"What do you say?" prompted Richard.

"Thank you Rosie!"

"Now the girl doesn't really need lessons in politeness from you, does she?" Rosie said.

Rachel's head jerked up when she heard this. She stared at Rosie who stared back and then looked away. Richard was standing stiffly beside the refrigerator. Only Robyn was oblivious to the tension.

"Robyn, go play with Mrs. Hopscotch in your room," Rachel said.

"Why?"

"Because the grown-ups need to talk."

"About what?"

"Bennie, go play," Rosie commanded.

Robyn glared at Rosie, but turned and left. They waited until she was fully out of earshot before Rachel turned to Rosie. "What's the matter with you?"

Rosie was silent for a moment before she said, "You know what I think about you being back here!"

"Then you should be acting angry at me instead of Richard," Rachel said flatly.

"Why should he get to be with Robyn now when he wasn't there her whole life?" Rosie said angrily.

"I've told you before that he would have wanted to be there. It wasn't his decision, it was mine," Rachel said.

"But why wasn't he there?" Rosie turned to Richard and he saw how truly imposing she could seem. "How could you have let her go? Didn't you notice something wrong with her?"

"She wanted to go," Richard said slightly defensively. "I wanted her to stay."

"What did you do to make her the way she was?" Rosie demanded. "She was out of her mind, she had no money, she had nothing!"

"That's _why_ I left," Rachel said quietly. "There was something very wrong and I had to get away."

"Rationalize it however you want, it still isn't a good sign when you think that he won't want you around," Rosie finished.

There was a hush in the kitchen. Richard was looking at Rachel who wasn't looking back. Rosie was glaring off at some point in the floor.

"Rachel and I are going to give you a chance to move in," Richard finally said. "Pick any room you want, except for the one all the way on the left here and the middle one upstairs."

Those rooms had belonged to Bruce and Alfred and no one was ever allowed to stay in either of them. "Rachel, come with me."

He took her hand and they walked away from Rosie and down the hallway. They could hear Robyn scolding Mrs. Hopscotch before Richard pulled Rachel into their bedroom. They stood in silence for a moment. "Rachel you need to finish the story of what you did after you left."

Rachel sat down on the bed and gestured him over. He sat as well. She picked at invisible threads on the comforter. "I left and I had no money and no identification. I had no driver's license, no social security card, no diploma, no past work experience or tenancy. To be honest I didn't really know any of the rules for contracts or those kinds of laws," she gave a rather humorless laugh, "Why would I? You always took care of all of those things."

"You can't do anything when you're like that," Rachel continued. "I couldn't get an abortion, a job, or an apartment. I went to a shelter, I didn't really care. That's how Rosie found me. She was volunteering at the shelter and I don't know why, but she took pity on me.

"She's the landlord of the apartments where I live-lived and she took me to live with her," Rachel paused for a moment as she pulled her legs up closer to her. "I was crazy, Richard. I was missing emotions. She kept me around for some reason and then as I progressed in the pregnancy the emotions grew and I started to even out again.

"I said that I wanted a job and she gave me money to get my hair dyed, she thought that the purple was a dye job itself. I applied for a position at a hospital and kind of," Rachel hesitated, "used my powers to make them forget about all the blanks in the application.

"Rosie began asking me where I was from and why I was by myself. I told her that my mother and father had died and that I had been living in a home for teenagers. Which was vaguely true. Then she started asking about who the father was.

"I never told her a name. What could I really say? That I had gone crazy and left you? I don't think she's ever really believed me."

Rachel stopped for a moment and then took hold of Richard's hand. "She couldn't understand how I could have left without anyone stopping me. She doesn't know about my powers and the death of my emotions or any of that."

Richard looked away. "I didn't stop you though," he said quietly. "It didn't even occur to me to try and take care of you."

"I wouldn't have let you," Rachel said. "I didn't want anyone-"

"Rosie took care of you," Richard said shortly. "And she didn't even have a reason to."

They were silent for a moment. "Rosie didn't know me like you knew me. Otherwise she wouldn't have tried," Rachel said.

Richard didn't say anything. Rachel moved closer to him and squeezed his hand. "We just keep messing up, don't we?" she said quietly.

He looked up. "I could have stopped all of our time away from each other. I'm so sorry."

"You can't take all of the blame for this one. You have to leave me my share," Rachel said. "I am the one that left."

"I'm the one that started all of the terrible things that happened."

"_Slade_ is the one that started all of those things."

"I left you to fight for yourself when it really mattered," he said softly.

"Stop it, Richard." Rachel held a hand up to his mouth. "We've paid for all of it already. We don't need to pay a thing more."

They looked at each other. "We don't have to fight anymore," she said before she kissed him.

An exhaustion hit both of them. Guilt took so much energy.

"Mommy, my braids fell out," Robyn said from the doorway holding the elastic bands out.

Her parents both looked over at her. Her black hair was wavy from the braids as it hung down her back beneath the bandanna and she was holding a watch in one hand. "What are you doing, Bennie?"

"Mrs. Hopscotch is in timeout. She'll be out in," Robyn checked the watch and clearly couldn't actually read it, "awhile."

"I'll fix your hair in a bit. I'm too tired right now."

Robyn looked at her watch once again. "That's because it's naptime."

She crawled up on the bed and promptly settled herself into the middle of the bed. She laid down and shut her eyes. Rachel was watching her with amusement. Robyn lifted her head. "It's naptime," she repeated impatiently. She held out her arms to Richard. "Come on daddy, it's time to sleep."

Richard looked to Rachel who shrugged and began to move beneath the covers. They lay there with Robyn in the middle as they held hands under the blankets.

* * *

Please give me some feedback. Criticism, good parts, bad parts, what you think. Review please.


	3. Incongruence

I said it would be updated by Friday, and it is. Yeah, I know that Robyn can be a bit bratty. I've always found that a lot of writers on FF tend to make children too _good_ so she's modeled vaguely off of this kiddo that I know. And here is another chapter of their still entirely normal life.

Disclaimer: I do not own it.

* * *

Chapter Three 

Incongruence

Quote:

"The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."

-Albert Einstein

* * *

Rosie was a bit disgusted as she walked around the manor putting various things away. The man was clearly wealthy. Disgustingly wealthy. And she had found Rachel at a homeless shelter.

Still she noticed a slight incongruence with the stories. Rachel had met Richard at a youth home. Rosie couldn't imagine this Richard living at a youth home. It didn't fit with this sort of setting. From what she knew, this man was the adopted son of Bruce Wayne and therefore would have grown up with all of the luxuries in the world.

Rosie continued wandering through all different parts of the manor. She couldn't help her curiosity. There was something going on that she didn't know about.

She opened the door to a room that was clearly an office of sorts. The room was immaculate. Everything was perfectly in order almost to the extent of oddness. Rosie went over to the desk, alert for the sound of anyone walking nearby, and opened a drawer.

It was filled with papers that were bound and labeled then organized alphabetically. It seemed so meticulously done that she almost didn't want to touch anything. But her curiosity overrode it. She wanted to know more about this man.

There was nothing of in the first, second, or third drawers. She was going through the fourth drawer with a sigh, thinking perhaps that it was just all of his work papers which seemed to consist of financial estimates and contracts. Rosie went to put a stack of papers back when her fingers felt the kind of glossiness that only comes from a photo.

It was a worn snapshot that had clearly seen better days. It was a photo of Rachel and a black man though he was blurred due to a water stain. Rachel looked younger, perhaps sixteen or so, though she had already been into dying her hair. Her coloring looked quite sickly and it looked like, Rosie couldn't tell due to the closeness of the shot, Rachel was wearing some strange type of hoodie.

Strangest of all, however, was the gem on Rachel's forehead. Rosie recognized it as something from India, but she also knew that Rachel was not Indian nor did she practice any of the beliefs.

She and the man were standing in front of a car, both of them covered with oil, both of them with huge smiles on their faces. They were clearly friends and they were clearly happy.

Rosie quickly searched the bottom of the drawer but couldn't find any other photos. She stared at the one that she was holding as she bit her lip. He had kept this picture all these years. And he was obviously keeping it because it had Rachel in it. She felt almost disappointed to have found this evidence that he cared for Rachel.

After making sure to put everything back exactly the way that she found it Rosie continued her walk through the hallways. It surprised her to realize that no one had come looking for her yet, she had been alone for a few hours now.

Rosie decided to check in on Robyn but when she made it to her bedroom it was empty. Rosie took the opportunity to get a good look at the room. It was ridiculously nice and furnished to perfection. It felt good to see Rachel be able to indulge on Robyn like that. Not to say that they hadn't had a nice apartment together but this was just outside the limits of excessive.

As Rosie left the room and walked down the hallway she was distracted by voices. She could hear the low sound of Rachel's voice from an open door. Rosie quietly crept closer as she continued to listen.

"You divide it into three sections and then pass the top one over and switch hands."

Pause.

"No like this."

Pause.

"_No_ like _this_."

Pause.

"You mean like-"

"Ow! Daddy you're pulling too hard!"

Rosie looked in the room to see Richard and Rachel sitting side by side. They both had a section of Robyn's hair in their hands and Rachel was trying to show him the process of braiding. Robyn was leaning back against their legs and playing with a watch that Rosie recognized as her own. Richard had a determined though frustrated expression on his face that near matched Rachel's frustrated yet amused one.

Rachel and Richard were close enough to each other that their bodies were touching all the way through and occasionally Rachel would reach over to help place his fingers correctly. Robyn complained again and Richard loosened his hands to hold her hair in a gentler grip.

Rosie continued watching in silence as Richard slowly got the hang of it and managed to gather Robyn's hair into two, admittedly messy, braids. "And you _finally_ got it," Rachel said dryly.

Robyn reached back to feel her hair and was apparently satisfied. She turned around and jumped towards Richard. He caught her easily and fell back on the bed so he could hold her above him. "You don't really think that you get beat me, do you?" he asked her lightly as she giggled above him.

"I'm an airplane," she informed him while spreading her arms out. "Don't drop me."

Rosie turned away and began walking to the kitchen feeling cranky. She didn't _want_ to like him. She wanted him to be the jerk that had made everything so hard for Rachel all of these years.

She opened the newly stocked refrigerator and began getting out the ingredients to make spaghetti. She'd just keep watching. The beast was sure to show itself at some point.

Rachel and Richard both sat on the bed looking at each other. Richard had a slight smirk on his face that was so reminiscent of the past Robin that Rachel moved forward to touch it. As her thumb traced his mouth the smirk faded leaving her slightly wistful.

"There's no one here tonight," Richard said quietly.

"No there isn't," Rachel confirmed softly.

His hands moved to gently massage her wrists. "I love you, you know that don't you?" he said.

"I've had a slight suspicion," Rachel said with a light smile on her face.

He moved forward then stopped to look her in the eyes. She met him halfway. As they slowly leaned back on the bed Richard pulled away and stared at her, supporting his weight with his hands flat on either side of her. "Are you sure you're ready?"

Rachel just smiled back at him as she ran a hand up along his arm. He moved to cradle her face with one hand. "God, I've waited so long," he said quietly.

Rachel reached up with both hands to grab his shoulders. "Quit talking."

The longer that Rosie stayed at the manor the more she became convinced that she had misjudged the situation. Rachel was happy. That much was clear. She was far happier than Rosie had ever seen her before. It was almost enough to make Rosie jealous.

Richard adored Rachel. It was obvious. He would always watch her with that strange little smile on his face, and then there were all of those lingering touches, and random embraces as if he couldn't stop himself from holding her.

And they both lavished attention on Robyn. She had always been a slightly odd child but it didn't stop Richard from loving her as dearly as Rosie herself did. The girl flourished and delighted in the new active playmate that she found in Richard. She and Richard would play elaborate make-believe games which Rachel would join in. Rosie occasionally marveled at how easily Richard could toss Robyn around. His clothing seemed to hide how strong he really was.

Rosie had considered, more than once, letting some reporters in to see how happy the three were. She thought that it might stop the news from reporting all of those terrible things about Rachel and the less blatant insults against Robyn. But Richard was firm. "No press," he said, "They only rip things apart."

Richard and Robyn were in the kitchen working on a recipe that Robyn was making up on the spot when the bell rang. Rachel pressed the button. "Who is it?"

"It's Victor. Open up."

Rachel's heart skipped a beat. Victor, wasn't that…? She pressed the button to release the gate and stood inside of the door with her heart pounding hard. There was a knock and Rachel hesitated and then flung open the door.

A tall black man was standing there. It was all man with no robotic parts but the face was the same. He leaned forward and peered into Rachel's eyes.

"Contacts, my ass," he said. "It is you!"

He stepped inside and shut the door and then swept Rachel into a hug that lifted her off of her feet. "I've been looking for you, Rae," he said. "I headed back to the Tower after a few months and all of you were gone. I've been looking for you ever since," he put her back down so as to scold her properly, "Don't you _ever_ run away again."

"Who was at th-" Richard stopped just inside of the hall. He stared.

"Richard Grayson is it?" the man said. "I should have figured after all those years."

"Cyb-" Richard began in shock, but the man cut him off.

"It's Victor. Victor Stone," Victor looked back at Rachel. "You two aren't the only ones hiding."

"How did you find us?" Rachel asked slowly as she tried to convince herself that he was really there.

"Invite me in," Victor said. "You two are super billionaires now and you don't have any manners?"

"Right," Richard said blankly. "Come in, there's a room where we can talk privately."

"Daddy, where are you?" Robyn came running out of the kitchen but stopped when she saw Victor standing in the doorway. She didn't like strangers.

Victor looked down at pretty four-year-old with her black hair loose and flour covering her lab coat (the remnants of an earlier game). He gave her a slight smile that she didn't return and then looked up at Richard with rather stern expression on his face. "There's a few things that I wanted to ask you as well."

Robyn turned and ran from the room. "Rosie," Rachel called.

The slightly flustered woman walked by with a full laundry basket. "What do you need? I'm pretty busy…" she trailed off as she saw Victor. "Hello," she said hesitantly, looking to both Richard and Rachel for a clue, "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Victor," he said. "I'm an old friend."

"I'm Rosie," she replied. "I'm a current friend."

"Rosie would you please watch after Robyn. We have some catching up to do," Rachel hesitated, "Please don't disturb us."

Rosie looked a bit affronted. "I'll leave this laundry for you to do then," she said as she dropped it and stalked off. They could hear her calling for Robyn.

The den was one of the few rooms downstairs that had a door that would shut. Victor went in first and looked around at the lavishly furnished room. Richard had had all this money, all this time. He sat down on a couch. Richard walked into the room and stopped near the door.

Rachel shut the door, stopped for a moment, and then walked quickly over to Victor and enveloped him in a soft hug. She had tears on her face. "You're here," she said quietly. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Victor didn't cry, though his eyes got red. "Rae, I've been searching for you for almost four years now. Who knew that you could disappear like that?"

Victor looked up at Richard who was looking back a bit uneasily. "Richard, I'm going to throttle you, but it's good to see you too," Victor said as he held out a hand.

They ended up sitting with Victor on one end of the couch and Rachel on the other while Richard sat on the chair adjacent to Rachel's corner, which was just out of Victor's reach.

"Okay," Victor said. "First and foremost. Who the hell is Robyn?"

"She's our daughter," Rachel answered bluntly.

"Your daughter as in yours and…"

"Mine and Richard's."

"Biologically?"

"And in practice," Rachel said with the slightest mix of amusement and annoyance in her voice.

Victor stopped for a moment. "And how old is Robyn?"

"She's four," Richard answered.

"Hm. Four," Victor said shortly. "That puts her conception at what date?"

Rachel sighed. "It's back when we were all living at the Tower."

"And how old were you when she was born?" Victor continued.

"You already know the answers to these," Rachel said with the hint of warning in her voice.

"No," Victor shook his head. "No one else is going to reprimand you for this. You answer my questions."

Rachel looked as though she were going to refuse and then sighed. "I was seventeen."

"And you were?" Victor prompted Richard.

"About eighteen," he answered.

Victor let a silence stretch. Rachel sighed again. "This wasn't planned. It was one of those accidents that occasionally happen."

"It's one of those accidents that was perfectly orchestrated and set up by two dumb teens that were too stupid to use protection," Victor stated flatly.

Neither Richard nor Rachel said anything. "Did you leave the Tower together?" Victor continued.

"No," Rachel said. "I left first. I didn't want to…stay with him. I was pretty messed up, remember?"

Victor sighed. "It is good to see you past that," he admitted, "That's partly why I was looking for you. I didn't know what would happen to you without one of us around."

Rachel knew without looking how the words affected Richard. She reached backwards and caught his hand. "I was okay," she said. "I've always been really good at disappearing."

Victor eyed their intertwined fingers. "So how did all of this happen?"

"I realized that it wasn't fair to hide Richard's daughter from him," Rachel said. "So I brought her here to give to him."

"But I wouldn't let Rachel leave," Richard said quietly.

Rachel was rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb without noticing it. Richard was looking at her with an expression of adoration. Victor watched Richard, consideringly. He had never known Richard to _ever_ display his emotions so openly. His entire demeanor was different. He seemed open and happy and all of the things that he had never really been as a teenager.

Victor realized that Rachel was watching him. She had a smile that was always so rare when she was back at the Tower. She was at ease and Victor suddenly realized that she looked liked she was being taken care of. She was getting the kind of care and affection that she had never really received at any other time in her life.

"Are you happy?" Victor asked the obvious question.

"I am," she answered simply.

Victor sighed. "You're off the hook Richard. Unfortunately."

Richard smiled, a bit relieved though he would never admit it, and he moved onto the couch so that Rachel could lean against him. Victor watched the movement and was still startled that Rachel wasn't calling him on it.

"How did you find me?" Rachel asked seriously.

"I wasn't sure at first," Victor admitted. "The hair threw me off. Long, black hair? And it's _really_ strange to see you out of your uniform. You looked really…normal. Y'know, like a kid your age."

"Thanks," Rachel said a bit sardonically.

"Well, you did!" Victor said.

"It's the clothes," Richard agreed. "And she's just been pulling her hair back so she perfectly fits being twenty-one."

"I like my clothes," Rachel said in an offended tone.

"And they're beautiful," Victor soothed. "You're gorgeous."

Rachel rolled her eyes.

"But then I was watching on the news and they were talking about your eyes," Victor continued. "You know how the news is absolutely crazy about you two? Well, they actually did this close up so that you could see them. Everyone thinks that you're wearing contacts, they think it's part of your…" his face reddened slightly, "tricks. But I recognized them. How else could it have been the exact shade and shape and those ridiculously long eyelashes?"

"I've tried wearing color contacts," Rachel said. "They don't fit right for my eyes though," she glanced back at Richard worriedly, "They really are too distinctive."

"You're keeping them the way they are," Richard answered flatly.

"I was pretty sure that it was you," Victor continued, "so then I started watching the guy that was on film with you and noticed that the guy had some strange similarities to this loser that I knew from when we were younger."

Richard could tell that Rachel was grinning. "And then they played some old clip that had you speaking on it," Victor told Richard, "And it was your voice. How many times have I heard you speak? Endlessly talking about all of the training and reports and complaints and theories over and over again?

"So I knew that it was you, Richard, and that this was either Rae or else you went creepy and found some girl who looked kind of like her."

They were all silent for a moment. "Gar's going to come and visit you soon too," Victor suddenly said. "He was waiting for me to find out if it was really you two."

"Is it really that easy to spot us?" Richard asked slightly concerned.

"It is when it's the two of you together," Victor said. "And it's easy when you know the two of you like we do."

"What about our enemies?" Rachel said.

"They didn't get as many chances to see your faces or the two of you standing or even really your voices. No one knows you two like us."

Both Richard and Rachel continued to have concerned expressions but Rachel managed to shake it off. "Are you staying the night?" she asked.

"I can't, Karen would wonder where I was," Victor said.

"Who's Karen?" Rachel asked.

Victor smiled. "It's Bumblebee."

"Are you two married then?" Richard asked.

"No. We're too young to be married," Victor said pointedly.

"That's why we're not getting married," Rachel said smoothly. "Are you two living in sin as well?" she asked flatly.

Richard smirked. Victor frowned. "Come one, answer my question," Rachel said.

"We're living together," he said.

"In sin?" Rachel prompted.

"A gentleman never kisses and tells," Victor finally said.

Rachel grinned as she leaned further into Richard. "Did you want to meet Robyn?" she asked Victor.

"She didn't seem to like me," Victor pointed out. "She ran away from me when I came in. By the way, what was she wearing?"

"It's a lab coat," Richard said.

"We were playing mad scientist earlier," Rachel said absently.

Victor forced his smile away. "And the white powder?"

"It was flour," Richard said, "She was making up a recipe in the kitchen."

"…Does she actually know any recipes?"

"No," Rachel said. "But it's never any worse than the things that Starfire used to make."

There was a silence in the room as an invisible Starfire joined them. "Splitting up sucks," Rachel said bluntly.

Richard nodded as Victor quietly agreed. Rachel left to find Robyn. Victor turned to Richard, "Why weren't you there?"

Richard knew what he meant immediately. "I didn't know."

"That she was pregnant?" Victor pressed.

Richard shook his head. "I knew that. But she…didn't want me. I didn't know what to do."

Victor looked at him incredulously. "So you let her _leave_? When she was like that? And when she was pregnant with _your_ child?"

Richard didn't say anything.

"I don't need to forgive you as quickly as she did," Victor said.

"Do you really think I don't feel the same way?" Richard suddenly said. "Do you really not believe that I hate myself for not being there? For missing so much? For letting her struggle through all of that shit on her own?"

Victor was startled by the intensity in Richard's unmasked eyes.

"I've screwed up when it comes to her so many goddamn times that I can't bear to think about it. I owe it to her to keep her happy forever. And so we are. We're having what we want now. And that's the closest I can get to making it up to her, and giving her what she deserves."

Richard was staring at Victor with the strangest expression on his face.

"I…" Victor faltered.

There was the sound of Rachel walking down the hallway as well as a slightly cranky sounding child. Both Richard and Victor snapped their eyes to the door as Rachel appeared, holding a fussy looking Robyn.

"We forgot her nap," Rachel said flatly.

"I am _not_ tired," Robyn said.

Rosie had at least changed Robyn into a new dress and swept her hair into a ponytail so she wasn't as dirty. She caught sight of Victor and shrank into Rachel's arms. "He's scary."

"No," Rachel, "He's just…big."

Robyn buried her head into Rachel's shoulder. "Don't act like this, Bennie," Rachel said warningly.

Robyn looked up resentfully. "You're scary," she told Victor flatly.

"Yeah, I know," he said. "I'm not nearly as scary as you are though."

She stared at him. "I'm not scary."

"I can barely look at you," Victor said without the slightest change in his voice.

Robyn was glaring at him now. There was something in the expression that was so suggested her mother's old formidable temper that Victor and Richard were both taken aback.

"Wow, you look like your mother," Victor said under his breath.

"No," Robyn said shortly. "I don't."

"Just now you did," Richard said startled voice. "It was that _exact_ expression."

"Does she have any…?" Victor trailed off as he continued to look at Robyn.

"Come here," Richard said as he pulled Robyn into his arms. She remained limp and uncooperative but it didn't matter. He sat down on the couch with her and held her on his lap. "You don't have to look at Victor. Just stay here while we talk with him."

Robyn sat with a considering expression on her face. She didn't give her consent but instead settled next to him, leaning so that her face was covered. Rachel rolled her eyes, Richard grinned, and Victor smiled.

Within ten minutes Robyn had fallen asleep with her head against Richard's shoulder.

"I told you she was tired," Rachel said flatly.

Richard nodded. "Yeah, I figured," he half shrugged to indicate the unconscious child on his shoulder.

"So," Victor began, "does she have any powers?"

"None that I know of," Rachel said. "I've tested her many times. She's had no sparks, nothing."

"How old were you when your powers began?" he asked.

"I've always had them. Since birth," Rachel said. "I just wasn't able to control them until I was older. At eighteen I was _still_ having trouble."

Richard was stroking Robyn's silky hair with one hand and he had Rachel's hand in the other. The two seemed unconscious of their constant physical contact.

"So no magic then," Victor said. "How much does she know about…the alter egos?"

"She's seen me do light magic," Rachel admitted.

"She told me that you healed her one time," Richard said.

Rachel shifted. "When she gets bad injuries or really sick I fix her," Rachel bit her lip. "And then she would see me use it at the hospital."

Richard and Victor both snapped their heads towards her. "What do you mean?" Victor asked.

"I'd take her sometimes to visit the patients. The older ones with no visitors. And I…there were always people in pain. I could feel them in pain so I would soothe it."

"How many people have seen you use them?" Richard asked slightly alarmed.

"No one," Rachel said. "Only Robyn knew what I was doing. I would just surge the magic through my fingers. It was little things, healing people a bit or else easing the pain as they died."

They were all silent for a moment.

"You said that Gar was going to come visit us?" Rachel said, "Isn't Gar…?"

Victor smiled. "Yeah, it's BB. I found him after the split. He travels a lot but he's rerouting his travel plans to get back here. You have no idea how excited he is to see you both. He's also fairly freaked out that you have a kid."

"How can he visit without people recognizing him and then recognizing us?" Rachel asked worriedly. "I want to see him, but how…?"

"Oh, you don't know, do you," Victor said. He glanced to the door and the windows and being sure that both of them were shut he pulled the sleeve up on his arm. There was a small dark spot beneath the skin. "This thing puts up this image for me. It feeds inside of the body so that what you see is authentic and so I don't have to worry about losing or breaking it. Gar has one now too."

"So he looks fully human?" Richard said.

"The only green left is his eyes," Victor confirmed.

Later when Robyn woke up she was finally willing to let Victor hold her. He held the sleepy youngster and was surprised at how small she was. This was Richard and Rachel's child. It was Robin and Raven's child. The thought made Victor feel almost dizzy.

"You're not scary," Robyn decided as she held onto his shirt.

Rosie came by the room and knocked. "Dinner's ready," she said rather resentfully before walking away.

"Are you going to stay?" Rachel asked Victor as they stood up.

"I can't. Karen's waiting, and she's dying to find out if it really is you both. And she'll be p-," Victor glanced at Robyn who was near the doorway, "ticked if I take much longer."

* * *

Please give me some feedback. Criticism, good parts, bad parts, what you think. Review please. 


	4. Secrets

So even though this story has a terrible review rate, the poll that I have on my profile placed this story at the top of the update list. I also had a note on there about how my computer that has all of my saved documents on it has a broken power cord so the only reason that I was able to update this was because there was a copy of it in an old email that I had sent to Vo for beta-ing. That's why this one is so short.

I have the status of all works on my profile page, as well as the update poll so if you wanted to know what's going on, then you can check. Anyways moving on...

Disclaimer: I do not own it.

* * *

Chapter Four

Secrets

Quote:

"A lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt as dangerous."

-Alfred Adler

* * *

A couple of days later Karen came to visit.

Richard finished bathing Robyn and was letting the towel-wrapped yet still soaking girl pick out her clothes. Rachel had been taking a shower upstairs and walked down in jeans and long-sleeved shirt scrunching water out of her hair with a towel.

"She's dripping water everywhere," Rachel commented.

"It'll dry," Richard said though he rearranged the towel to catch more of the water.

Together they dressed Robyn in her chosen outfit (a bright blue dress with lime green leggings) and sat on her bed so that Richard could brush her hair which she quickly became impatient with. She ran off with her hair still wet.

Richard watched Rachel as she combed out her own and reached up to tie it back. "No," he said suddenly, "leave it down today."

She let her hands fall back to her sides and gave him a slight smile. Then there was Rosie's loud voice from outside of the kitchen, "Bennie get out of my way!" followed by a crash.

Richard had to stifle a grin as he got up and went to check out what was going on. The floor was now covered with fruits and boxes, and milk, and, juice and a broken bottle of jelly along with potatoes rolling everywhere.

Rosie had apparently gone grocery shopping.

Robyn didn't even have the scared expression on this time. She knew that no one was going to punish her. "Bennie," Rachel said in an exasperated voice before bending down to start cleaning.

There was a sudden knock at the door. The three adults froze. Rachel and Richard exchanged glances. Someone was past the gate.

"They must have followed my car," Rosie said.

Rachel picked up Robyn and shrugged to Richard. He went over and opened the door.

It was Karen. She had a hat that went low over her head and was holding a full paper bag with both arms. She stepped inside, kicked the door shut, and turned around. Her eyes traveled over the damp haired Rachel and Robyn, the mess on the floor, and then Richard who was standing beside her.

She smiled. "I never thought I'd see you two so domestic. I mean out of everyone you two were the…" she caught sight of Rosie and stopped talking.

They ended up in the same den as before. Karen kept giving them looks of amused surprise; it really did seem to startle her to see them like this. After hearing the stories from Victor Karen kept a close eye on their closeness. It _was_ different. After awhile Karen began to feel the tiniest bit jealous of how obviously bonded the two were.

"Oh," Karen said as she remembered the bag. "I brought some things that I figured you'd enjoy."

The top half of the bag contained magazines. The magazines were all the latest editions of people watching magazines and Rachel and Richard were on the cover of them _all_. "Is it really that bad out there?" Rachel asked with wide eyes.

Karen nodded. "You have no idea how excited the media is about this scandal."

"But to be on the cover of all of them?" Rachel asked, "When is it going to end?"

"It never entirely ends," Richard said distractedly, "Not when you're high in society."

"Some of these are pretty good though," Karen said as she flipped open one and began rifling through the pages.

There was a section marked with the title "First looks at the supposed heir." It was followed by seven pages of photos of Robyn. There were the photos from the shopping trip, some by the paparazzi some by customers. Then there were photos of Robyn hugging Rosie (wearing her pirate costume) followed by photos of her helping bring things in from the car.

"I like the pirate photos best," Karen said as both Richard and Rachel gazed into the magazine.

"They are cute," Rachel admitted. "Not exactly the way I would have preferred to introduce her to the public, but cute nonetheless."

After going over the magazines for awhile Karen reached into her bag again. "I brought more things," she said.

The bottom of the bag contained photos. Real photos of the old team, everyone in uniform obviously, sometimes smiling, sometimes glaring. Or in Rachel's case, mostly glaring.

They sat in silence just staring at all of the photos. Slowly Rachel spread them out on the coffee table and then sat on her knees, simply staring. Her face was pale and she released Richard's hand to fully push each one in place.

"It's strange to see these after being with Victor and Gar for so long," Karen said. "Those chips in their skin don't come out, so I haven't seen them look like this in years."

Richard was staring at a photo of himself. In the photo he had that trademark smirk of his and his covered eyes. It wasn't that many years ago, but…

Rachel was pale and she couldn't quit straightening the photos, her fingers constantly touching the edges of each one. Her hands began to tremble slightly as she looked wide-eyed at all of them.

Karen too was caught up in the silence of the moment. Most of them didn't look the same. They were all growing older and had mostly abandoned their colorful uniforms. Victor no longer did open missions, Gar snuck around to do any transformations, and she could find little use for her powers without a team involved. They were in hiding.

Richard reached out and encompassed Rachel's trembling hand in his own and brought it back to her side. "Everyone is coming back," he said quietly to her, "We're going to see them all again."

"What about Starfire?" Rachel said in a shaky voice, "She's not here anymore."

Karen felt uncomfortable, as though she shouldn't be witnessing this. Rachel had always been so distant and bad-tempered, Richard had always been a fighter and it was almost disturbing to see them so out of the roles that she was used to. They were all growing up.

"Robyn wants to see you," Rosie said as she opened the door and stepped inside. "She's in-" Rosie stopped, surprised at the sight of the three in such a scene.

Karen glanced up and then at Richard who let go of Rachel and immediately swept all of the photos off of the table and out of sight. Rachel turned to Rosie with wide startled eyes and suddenly the light fixture above them shattered.

Rosie jumped as she, Richard, and Karen all looked up. Richard immediately grabbed Rachel's hand and tried to soothe her. Karen had an alarmed expression on her face and began an attempt to recover the situation. "I guess the bulb blew," she said a bit loudly.

Rosie stared. "But it took out the entire fixture!" she said.

Richard was rubbing Rachel's back with one hand and he leaned close to whisper to her. "It's okay, just relax. We've got you."

"I've heard that happens sometimes," Karen said animatedly to try to keep Rosie's attention. "Maybe it was an old fixture? Faulty?"

Rachel was breathing regularly again, and her eyes lost that almost frightening look. Rosie glanced over at her and noticed how pale she was. "Are you alright, Rachel?" she asked concerned.

"It just startled me," Rachel managed. "I'll be fine in a moment."

Karen sat forward in an attempt to try and regain the attention. "Did you say something about Robyn? I haven't seen her yet, why don't you go get her and bring her here?"

Rosie could tell that something very strange was going on, but she couldn't tell what. After a moment's hesitation she agreed. "I'll go get her. It'll take a moment she's managed to make a mess of herself again, I'll clean her off."

With one last questioning glance Rosie turned and left. Karen left out a nervous sigh. "Are you okay? What just happened?"

"I don't know," Rachel answered a bit faintly. "I haven't done that in years."

Karen moved to quickly pack the all of the photos back into the sack and fold the bag closed. "Rosie doesn't know about your powers?" she asked.

"No," Rachel said. "The only person who knows that didn't before is Robyn. We need to keep it that way."

"Are you alright?" Richard said, trying to look into her eyes. "Are you able to control it?"

Rachel was clearly upset though at this point it was from her lapse in control. "How did that happen?" she said to no-one.

Karen moved to clean up the glass that was on the floor. A piece managed to jab her in the finger and she cursed as a few drops of blood appeared. Richard moved to the floor to help gather the rest of glass. By the time they were finished Rachel had fully composed herself.

Rosie brought Robyn in to meet Karen and Robyn seemed to be pleased with her. She acted charmingly all through the rest of the evening and after dinner Karen got to witness how the three of them played when Robyn suddenly decided that she was a doctor looking for the antidote to save Rachel's life. Richard was completely engaged in the game which delighted Robyn to no end and fully amused Rachel who didn't play her part as convincingly.

It wasn't until Robyn tried to pull Karen into the game that Richard and Rachel seemed to remember her presence. Richard stopped mid-motion and got a rather foolish smile on his face which Rachel struggled not to laugh at.

"Daddy," Robyn said, pouncing on his back, "Why'd you stop?"

He easily held her. "Isn't it time for bed, Bennie?" he asked, glancing at a wall-clock.

"Are we going to finish playing tomorrow?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered.

"Yeah, it's bedtime," she said. "I'm tired."

"I'll put her to bed and come back," Richard said as he stood up.

He brought Robyn over so that she could lean down and give Rachel a goodnight kiss and then walked out. Karen followed the movement with her eyes. "You are so lucky," she said.

"Yeah, I am," Rachel said. "Which part were you referring to?"

Karen gestured to everything, "All of it. You're a billionaire. You live in this _manor_. You have a guy who is crazy about you and your kid. And you're both hot."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Thank you?" she said. "I had never considered the 'hot' part."

"I didn't think that either of you would end up this…happy," Karen admitted. "Granted I never realized that Richard was _the_ Richard Grayson heir to billions, but still."

"Yeah," Rachel said softly, "We had to work hard to get here."

Karen gave her a considering look. "You know, I've talked to Victor about what happened. And he told me all about what you had done and the way that you were during the break-up of the team. What happened with you and Richard?"

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"A lot of bad shit happened. To everyone. But something was going on before all of that even began. And it was something bad. I've heard some…strange things."

"Like what?" Rachel asked almost sharply.

Karen looked uncomfortable. "I don't know," she finally said. "It wasn't anything I guess. Just my intuition."

Rachel sighed. "Everything bad happened _after_ it all began. That's the truth."

After a few more hours Karen left and Rosie decided to go to bed as well.

* * *

Richard was sitting on the floor leaning back against the couch with a magazine resting on his pulled up knees. Rachel was leaning against his legs with her head halfway on his chest glancing through a different magazine.

"This is pretty bad," she said, breaking the silence.

Richard turned the page and read another salacious headline. "I didn't think it had gotten this bad," he admitted.

"Do you think maybe we should make a statement after all?" Rachel asked as she stared at a photo of herself holding several bags.

"It's been three weeks," Richard said. "I thought that maybe it would have died down a bit by now."

"Well it's not," Rachel said as she turned the page again. "Wow, they found a photo of you as a little kid," she said.

"Really?" he turned his head to see it.

The magazine editors were trying to show differences between the photos of Richard and one of the quickly snapped photos of Robyn. There were obviously some striking similarities though the article denied the existence of any. Rachel sighed and dropped the magazine and then leaned back further so that she could look up at him. "What should we do?"

"If we were to make a statement what would we tell them?" Richard asked.

They were both silent. What _could_ they tell the press? "Where did everyone always think you went when you were living with us in Jump City?" Rachel asked.

"Bruce would always tell them that I was traveling or else attending some private institution elsewhere."

"Did we meet there?" Rachel asked.

Richard smiled. "I guess. But where _is_ 'there?'"

"Did we meet through a mutual friend, then?" Rachel tried.

"Like…" Richard stopped to think. "Victor, Gar, Barbara…"

"Do we have to give a name?" she said. "Can't we just say 'we met through a mutual friend'?"

"Five years ago," Richard thought aloud, "I was seventeen then. That's old enough to be traveling."

"Where were we at?" Rachel went on.

"Somewhere in the US, so they can't check the documentation."

"How about the west coast?"

Richard smiled, "We are going to be vague about this, aren't we?"

"That's because we have to save our energy for the more difficult questions," Rachel said, "Like why I'm only now showing up."

Richard lost his smile. "The truth kind of works for that one, doesn't it?"

Rachel sighed. "Do you realize what they're going to think of me if we tell them that we only met the one time on the west coast and obviously had sex?"

Richard tossed his magazine aside with a frustrated expression. He moved up on the couch and lay down, pulling her up with him so that she lay with her head on his chest. "Can't we just ignore them?" he asked.

"No," she answered flatly. "It's getting worse."

They lay in silence for awhile. Then she pulled herself up so that both arms were on her chest so she could hold herself up. She was looking him in the eyes. "What if we used to have a secret relationship?" She began caressing the side of his cheek.

"With different meeting points at the different places that I've been," he said as trailed his hands up her back.

She moved so that their foreheads were touching, their lips only inches apart. "And we just don't want to answer anymore questions because we like out privacy."

One of the hands that had been traveling along her back pulled her head down so that their lips could meet and Rachel's hand moved to his hair. She pulled for a moment to hear his answer. "That sounds pretty good," he said in a slightly hoarse voice before pulling her back to him.

* * *

Please give me some feedback. Criticism, good parts, bad parts, what you think. Review please.


	5. Hidden in Plain Sight

I almost didn't have it in me manage to post all of this up. So even though I know that it is in deplorable condition I at least did that much. Anyway, if someone wants to take this over that is awesome. And If anyone wants me to post the plot I'll do that as well.

* * *

Hidden in Plain Sight

* * *

"Good luck!" Rosie called from the front door as she tried to keep the crying Robyn inside.

"Why is she crying?" Richard asked concerned.

"I think she's gotten used to us always being there," Rachel murmured back.

They were heading to meet with a respectable reporter from the most reputable news program that was involved in the Rachel Richard guessing games. The owners had nearly died when they got the call from Richard's PR person asking if they would like an interview. They were going out of their way to fulfill every possible need or desire as they waited to conduct the most profitable interview that they had in current times.

Rachel and Richard had decided to head out to the office instead of inviting the interviewer in. After a lengthy discussion they decided that in order to help things settle down they needed to start heading out in public.

"But not Robyn," Rachel said flatly.

"Not yet," Richard agreed.

They were taking a cab (commissioned by the magazine owners) which was going to meet them outside of the gates surrounding their home.

Richard had tried to pick out an outfit for Rachel to wear but she refused. "If I dress nicely then it will let them think that I'm out to get your money."

So it was a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and flats. Richard sighed as he looked at her and decided, "What the hell." He changed into jeans and a (rather expensive) shirt. "You're leaving your hair down though," he said.

So now they were walking out to meet the cab, holding hands, with Richard far more at peace than Rachel was. The reporters never got close enough to hit either of them but they were too close to be comfortable. They were shouting questions which, thankfully, were lost within the shouts of others.

The cab was waiting just as expected and Richard opened the door for Rachel and then followed her in. The reporters moved after them for a ways but then couldn't keep up. Rachel realized just how tightly she had been gripping Richard's hand and she loosened it. He smiled and squeezed hers and then leaned closer.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better," he murmured.

The cab driver turned her head. "Are you two okay?" she asked.

"Yes," Richard said. Rachel nodded.

Too soon they were at the agency where another crowd of paparazzi were waiting. Gripping hands tightly again, they headed out of cab and into the cool interior of the building. There were security guards waiting inside.

"Have I ever told you how much I hate crowds?" Rachel whispered in Richard's ear.

He grinned. "Never explicitly, but I always had a vague impression."

A receptionist met them in the hallway. "Hello Mr. Grayson and Miss. Roth. Follow me; the interview is going to take place on the fourth floor."

They were led into an elevator where the receptionist kept sneaking glances at them while pretending not to.

The fourth floor was clearly the interviewing room. Each section of it had different backgrounds. There was one part that had bookshelves and a statue behind it. Another had a medical degree on the wall as well as a plastic model of the human internal anatomy. In another section were different musical props ranging from the harp to maracas. "For variety," Richard whispered dryly to Rachel.

He was trying to keep her comfortable. Richard had a fair amount of past experience dealing with the press. He was the one that would usually help deal with this sort of thing while in the Titans, though they also had a professional PR person take care of most of that. Rachel had always been flippant during those times and mostly just ignored the cameras.

But this was a personal interview and it was important that she…not screw up.

Richard's PR agent couldn't stress that enough. The man had clearly been dealing with a lot of the press lately and he appeared stressed and frazzled. "She's needs to present a good face and not show even a _hint_ of what the media has been saying or else everything is going to fall apart for you two."

Richard knew that she had been thinking about simply returning to complete anonymity, so he had told her, quite bluntly, that her face and Robyn's face were too well known by this point. "It doesn't matter _what_ color you dye your hair," he said flatly, "They'll follow you."

The reporter was standing in the middle of the room. She was an attractive woman in her early forties who was perfectly dressed with perfectly applied makeup. It was only the slightest flick of her eyes that showed her surprise in seeing the couple dressed so casually.

"Hello, Miss. Roth, Mr. Grayson," she said, "We're going to be over here today."

She led them to a corner that was made to look like the interior of a living room. "Have a seat," she said gesturing towards the white couch. "Would you like anything? Something to drink, maybe?"

Both Rachel and Richard shook their heads. "No, thank you," Rachel said.

The reporter smiled and then dismissed the receptionist. Richard grabbed Rachel's hand, "Don't go deadpan," he reminded her.

It was important that she connect with other people. Richard _knew_ that she would deadpan when nervous or unsure. But they had practiced their answers so often that it would…hopefully…go smoothly.

The tech people hooked them both up with microphone packs and then they sat together on the couch. Rachel leaned against him while they waited for the cameraman to get the shot in focus before the filming began. They were still holding hands.

The cameraman was having the reporter adjust her chair so that the shot would be perfect, it was all about to begin. Richard kissed the top of Rachel's head, squeezed her hand, and then Rachel sat up to face the camera.

"Remember to face Lisa, not the camera, sweetheart," the cameraman said as a reminder.

Rachel sent him a glare. She hated condescending endearments. Richard glanced at her. Then the interview began.

It started out easy enough. There were the questions about when, where, and how they met. It was akin to the fill in the blank questions on a test, and the two had discussed this so many times that the answers were easy. Then the preliminaries ended.

"Now. Who is Robyn?" Lisa asked.

Richard got a faint smile on his face. "That's my daughter."

"Everyone wants to know more about this. Tell us a bit about her."

They looked at each other. "I'll go first," Rachel offered. "Her name is Robyn Roth. She's four, for three more months, she's pretty small, she looks a lot like him," she gestured to Richard with the hand that was entwined with his, "and she's fairly popular among the older population."

Richard was struggling not to smile. "Yeah. That pretty much sums her up."

Lisa had a pleasant expression on her face. "So how is she dealing with this change? How did she react to being introduced to this man and being told that it's her father?"

"Robyn's known for awhile who her father was," Rachel said. "She doesn't really like strangers so I've been getting her…acclimated to him for about half a year before she met him."

"And how's she liking this lifestyle?"

"He's spoiling her," Rachel said flatly.

Lisa gave a personable laugh. "Really?"

Richard shrugged and smiled. He was trying to say as little as possible and let Rachel give the impression. Granted, he was ready to cut in if need be.

Lisa paused and leaned forward. Clearly the direction of the interview was about to change. "There is a lot of thought out there that is wondering about the paternity of this child. Everyone wants to know, who is the real father?"

Rachel's eyebrows rose. It was a clear insult though done in question form. Richard's expression hardened. "What are you implying?" Rachel asked.

"There are people of the opinion that perhaps this is a child that you are trying to pass off as his," Lisa said, "You can clear up this matter for everyone, here."

"She's mine," Richard stated.

"Is there any proof of that?" Lisa asked, "A paternity test?"

Rachel was taken aback. "There was absolutely no need. We didn't even think of one."

"Will you consider getting a test done?" Lisa asked.

"Why?" Rachel said.

"To clear up any questions regarding the true paternity."

"There are no questions regarding it," Rachel's expression was flattening.

"So you believe this to be yours Richard?" Lisa said.

"I knew Rachel was pregnant before she left," he said. "She hadn't been with anyone else. Robyn's mine."

There was a moment of silence. "So you knew that Rachel was pregnant with your child?" Lisa said.

Rachel squeezed Richard's hand. "Yeah," he said. "She couldn't handle it so she left."

"And you never tried searching for your girlfriend and child?"

"I'm really good at disappearing," Rachel said.

"So with all of the Wayne fortune you didn't have the resources to find them?" Lisa directed this question at Richard.

"I told him not to find me," Rachel answered instead. "I told him that I wasn't keeping the baby and that I didn't want to be found. He was respecting my wishes."

Lisa seemed to follow Rachel's side now. "Why did you leave?"

"There were some personal things. I'm not going to discuss them on camera. Or off," Rachel added.

Lisa recognized the roadblock and changed the direction of the interview again. "I notice that you're dressed down today. Was that for the benefit of the cameras?"

"No. This is pretty comfortable, and apparently I'll have to accompany Richard to formal events later so I'm waiting until then to 'dress up'."

Richard recognized Rachel's slight jab at the woman and he squeezed her hand warningly. She glanced over at him and then leaned her head on his shoulder. Her anger had made nervousness disappear. Richard was only glad that she didn't get her extra eyes when she got mad anymore.

"When do you plan on bringing Robyn out in public?" Lisa continued.

"Once the crush of photographers mostly goes away and when the nasty articles and discussions against her and her 'paternity' stop," Rachel said.

The interview continued.

"Do you plan on working?" Lisa asked.

"I originally worked at a hospital," Rachel said. "I was thinking about continuing but it's a bit difficult when your home is surrounded."

Finally after a grueling two hours the interview was over. As soon as the cameras stopped rolling Rachel let out a sigh of relief and Richard squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek. "It wasn't terrible," he whispered to her.

They suddenly noticed Lisa watching them with great interest. She moved closer. "So is this the genuine article?" she asked in a low voice.

"What?" Rachel asked startled.

"It's not just a show, is it? It's the real thing?"

Richard smiled at her. "Yeah it is. Why else would we have bothered?"

Lisa nodded shortly. "I'll help with the editing then," she stopped to look at them both. "I'm jealous," she said and walked out.

Rachel turned to him. "What exactly was that?"

"We've got a media connection now."

"Oh," she said. "Well good."

Rachel refused to actually watch the interview when it aired so Richard watched it as he lay on the couch while Rachel kept her head buried in his chest.

The cutting was exactly like Lisa promised. It was very flattering towards the two of them. As it continued with no huge outbursts Rachel turned around and watched, her body overlapping Richard's and her arm hanging off of the couch.

"Do we really touch that much?" Rachel said curiously as the camera focused in on a shot of their entwined fingers resting on Rachel's knee while they continued to speak.

"I don't remember them getting that shot," Richard said as he unconsciously stroked her hair. "Did they have a different camera on us as well?"

At different points of the interview they flashed pictures up including the now famous pirate Robyn photo. "We should give them a new photo," Rachel said.

"They'd probably appreciate a picture of her in her scientist outfit," Richard agreed sleepily.

The end of the interview was done with footage from the second camera that caught Richard kissing her cheek and a silent murmuring. "That looks like you're suggesting we go have sex," Rachel commented.

"That's one interpretation," Richard said as he hit the off button on the remote. "I usually try to add a little more finesse, but that works too."

They lay in the dark for awhile. "Richard," Rachel said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever miss it?"

"What?"

"The crime fighting."

Richard opened his eyes and pulled her up to face her. He was silent for a moment. "Yeah. I do."

Rachel was silent for a moment, her legs were on either side of him. "Do you want to start again?"

"At night?" he said.

Rachel nodded. "It'd have to be at night."

"And you'd join me?"

"Yes."

They were both quiet. "What if something happens to us?"

"We've been pretty good at staying alive," Rachel said. "We can probably continue."

"You'd have to change your costume," Richard said. "We can have a girl with your eye color show up and then have Raven come at night. It'd be too easy."

"I'll get a new uniform with a hood. I'm pretty skilled at fighting like that. We can use Bruce's old tunnels right?"

"Yeah," Richard stopped, "But there will be no one else down there to operate the controls."

"Do we need them?" Rachel asked.

"No," he swallowed. "It was just an extra measure. For safety."

Rachel knew that he felt the ache at the thought of Alfred. "Re-opening the cave is going to be really hard," she said quietly. "We can wait."

"Just until we have your new uniform," Richard said, tightening his hold on her. "Then I'll show you Gotham."

"When is it going to be done?" Robyn asked as she sat on the bench and swung her legs.

They were outside in the enclosed garden. It was large but surrounded on all sides by the mansion walls so it was private. Rachel and Richard were working on setting up a playset. The process was actually moving quickly, Richard having had a lot of experience with high-tech gadgets didn't necessarily need instructions. Rachel sat by and idly handed him tools and pieces.

The garden was expansive and was meticulously kept by an old and sightless man who came once a week. He minded his own business which is why he was given free range within the mansion and was able to continue into the premises during these weeks of isolation.

Rosie sat outside with them as well. It wasn't until she took a break that she realized just how quickly she had become a maid. Well, a housekeeper really since she dealt with Robyn quite often. Robyn was becoming a very willful child, hopefully just a phase, but perhaps the consequence of a ridiculously doting father.

It annoyed her to have to admit just how much she misjudged Richard. Her internal desires to be right were at odds with her desire for Rachel's happiness. And it seemed that Richard fulfilled the latter.

He was a good guy. An honestly good guy good. He somehow wasn't a snob despite the money, he delighted in his child and as much as he spoiled Robyn he struggled to do the same for Rachel. Rosie wasn't sure if Rachel necessarily noticed it but she had never seen anyone _try_ as hard as Richard did. And Rosie respected him for it.

But there was something strange going on. That first man that had come to the door was the one in the photo that she had found. And the way that they had looked when she had walked in on the pictures were certainly alarming. Then there were little whispered conversations that would quit the instant before she came near.

Were these visitors the other teenagers in the home? But then why were Rachel and Richard so shocked to see them? Rosie knew that the bag of photos was gone, but she also knew that Rachel and Richard tended to discuss things at night as they lay on the couch. She flirted with the thought of wandering by during one of those conversations.

The playset gave Robyn something new to occupy her which put her out in the sun. She began spending hours out in it and would refuse to come inside even for meals. That was fine with her parents who decided that the weather was nice enough to bring meals outside for a change.

Robyn would do her best to engage her parents in all of her games, but they were slowly becoming otherwise occupied.

Richard got a call from his vice CEO telling him that he was needed. Richard told him under no uncertain terms that he wouldn't be able to return to work yet, but to send him the contracts, the tax forms, the latest proposals, the monthly expense reports, the checks needing, the mail that needed to be answered and replied to.

It was a massive amount of paper work. Richard sighed and sat down to begin. In hour into the process Rachel walked into the office where small piles of paper were spread everywhere. "This looks familiar."

"It's a lot more complicated than what we had at the Tower," Richard said without looking up. "And I have six weeks worth."

Rachel sat down and pulled a stack towards her and picked up the top sheet to read. Richard glanced up. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm not stupid," Rachel said while poring over the paper, "I've been reading symbols and hieroglyphics for years, this can't be much worse."

"But you don't know the current state of affairs and all of-" he began.

"I'm going to read this file," she indicated the 112 page proposal, "and then I'm going to tell you if it's a good idea."

Richard stared at her as she turned to the next page. "You are perfect," he said.

She glanced up. "While that might be a potential 'have sex' line, I'd have to pass right now." She looked back down at the proposal.

Richard grinned and then went back to try and even out the sixty page long expense report.

Robyn walked in several hours later, seeming rather downtrodden. "You guys didn't play with me at all today," she said in a tired voice.

"That's because we've had to work all day, Bennie bug," Rachel said as she held her arms out. "Come here and sit with me."

Robyn dragged her feet as she walked along before sitting quietly in Rachel's lap. "I love you mommy," she said after a moment.

"I love you too, Bennie," Rachel returned as she squeezed her. Robyn didn't seem any happier.

Richard and Rachel continued their work until they were too tired to continue reading. "These are nasty," Rachel said as she threw her papers back on the floor. They were halfway finished.

Robyn was curled up asleep in Rachel's lap and she barely shifted as Rachel stood up. After tucking their daughter into bed they collapsed onto their bed. "I think we should begin training again," Richard said.

Rachel sat up and looked down at Richard. "You work out and I don't do physical combat," she said. "We're fine."

"Physical training helps your mental stamina," Richard said. "I know it does, I've trained and fought with you."

Rachel scowled. "I hate training. It stopping was one of the few good things that came out of the Titans breaking up."

The words no longer had the kind of effect on Rachel or Richard that it used to. He picked up her hand. "We'll start off lightly."

She sighed and lay down beside him, turning inwards to him slightly. "When are you going to start heading into work again?"

"Let's start on Monday," he said as he kissed the inside of her wrist.

"Let's?" she repeated as she closed her eyes.

His hands were trailing the length of her arms now. "Yeah. You're coming in with me. You know what you're doing, I want you there, and it allows us to travel outside of our home."

"Do I have to wear fancy things?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Richard said. "Nice things," he smiled, "We'll ease you into all of this."

Richard shifting so that he could run his hands along the opposite contours of her body. "It's not fair to always convince me of things when we're in bed," Rachel said with her eyes still closed.

"I can stop if you want me to," Richard said as he stopped what he was doing and sat back.

Rachel opened her eyes and stared at him. "I hate you."

"What? Is there something you want?" he had that smirk on his face.

Rachel scowled. "No. Not anymore."

They sat in silence for a moment and then Rachel sighed and moved forward to kiss him. "Yes. There is."

The paparazzi seemed to slowly be getting tired of waiting outside of the silent home. So it was much easier when the buzzer for the door went off to not be concerned. It was Gar. He stepped inside the manor and both Richard and Rachel stared.

He was now simply a green-eyed, blond haired guy with tanned skin. He looked completely different. He grinned toothily at them. "Hey Richard, hey Rachel."

This time they went out to the garden to speak. That way he could meet Robyn inside her own setting and they could speak away from open doors.

"It's strange to see you like this," Richard said as he stared. "I can see _some_ resemblances, but I wasn't expecting anything like…"

"What you look like now," Rachel finished for him.

"Dude, it's strange to see you with a _kid_," Gar said as he gestured. "I don't think you both realize just how bizarre this is."

"She looks fairly normal to me," Richard commented as he watched her play.

"No, she looks like _you_," Gar said, "except in little girl form. And sometimes the expressions are just like Rae's and it's really creepy."

"Are you insulting my kid?" Rachel asked.

"No, she's really pretty, just…creepy too," Gar said as he stared.

"What have you been doing since you left?" Rachel asked.

His eyes took on a mischievous glint. "I've been rescuing animals."

"What does that entail?" Richard asked suspiciously.

Well," Gar leaned forward conspiratorially, "I sneak my way into different laboratories, free the animals, and then lead them away."

"And during the day?" Rachel asked amused.

Gar leaned back, now professional. "During the day I am a librarian."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "A librarian?"

He nodded, "It's the perfect cover."

"Of course," Richard said with a grin.

As the day progressed Gar was able to play with Robyn who took to him quite well. Gar made a wonderful playmate and showed no impatience with her at all. Robyn seemed to realize that they were of like minds and took full advantage.

Gar accepted their invitation to stay the night asking to borrow some extra clothes. After Robyn was put to bed the three headed to the office where they began discussing a return to heroism. Gar thought that it was a great idea and discussed various further methods to make it possible.

He was also extremely excited by the state of their refrigerator and promptly decided to raid it which Richard knew would irritate Rosie. Gar then insisted that they watch a movie (he chose a horror flick for Rachel's benefit) on the huge entertainment center. It had been so long since Rachel and Richard had indulged in such _young_ things that it kind of startled them. They had both had to grow up so quickly what with raising a child and running a financial empire. Among other issues.

It seemed strange that during the movie, _Revival of the Zombies_, all three got as scared as they used to. All three were huddled together on the couch sitting close together for safety. Which was actually even more ridiculous as all three were superheroes. Gar had pulled out popcorn and blankets and all of the supplies that they had had in the old days and it was so astonishingly easy to slip back into those times that Rachel and Richard had long considered gone.

During the climax of the movie as a zombie appeared from nowhere and threw himself towards the screen Gar eeped and jumped throwing one of the popcorn bowls all over Rachel who started which caused Richard to jump as well. Not one of them even noticed the hilarity of the situation as their horrified eyes stayed glued to the screen.

As the credits rolled all three of them sat in silence before Gar spoke into the near darkness, "Did you realize that your big freaky mansion is scary as hell?"

It _was_ rather foreboding as it surrounded them with dark silent walls. "Not until you mentioned it," Richard said hoarsely.

"Dude, I am not leaving this spot," Gar said seriously, "If I go into those frickin' sinister hallways to my big quiet room I will have a heart attack and you'll never see me again."

"I think it's fine if we stay out here," Rachel said in a slightly higher pitched voice.

"You know a movie with that kind of title shouldn't be as scary as that," Richard said, "It should be cheesy with bad effects."

"It doesn't make it any easier that I'm feeling all of the emotions that you guys have going on," Rachel said. "Gar, do you get nightmares?"

He got a shifty look in his eyes. "Sometimes," he said slowly. "Why?"

Rachel groaned, "I'll be channeling them."

"What if I'm not near you?" he asked.

"I've been around you for so long that I already am familiar with your mind," she said as she moved closer to Richard. "It'll take awhile to wear off."

"That's kinda disturbing," Gar said. "You can read my mind?"

"Only your emotions," she amended.

Richard frowned, "You've read my mind before."

"I have a mental bond with you," Rachel reminded him.

"You just said that you have one with me too," Gar interrupted.

Rachel sighed, "No, I'm just familiar with reading your emotions since I lived with you for," she paused to quickly count, "four years. So I'm good at sensing your _emotions_."

There was a slight sound to near the outside arc of the entertainment room which made all three of them jump. Richard stood and moved quickly towards it. After so many years he had excellent night vision and perfectly in-tune with his senses.

Rachel hesitated and then the tips of her fingers vibrated with her powers. It wasn't usually enough to be seen, but in the dark it caused a bit of a flicker. Gar stood beside her. "Do you think that you should be using that…" he gestured towards her hands.

She clenched and unclenched her fists and then as she flicked them out the glow faded. Gar grabbed onto her arm and the two headed closer to Richard who was standing utterly silent as he looked around.

Nothing else moved. There were no noises, no shadowy figures, and no flesh-eating zombies. "Maybe we imagined it?" Gar suggested.

"All three of us, at the same time, from the same area?" Rachel said.

Gar shrugged as he moved closer to her. "Rachel," Richard began hesitantly, "was it an outburst of power?"

"Ah man," Gar said, "Don't do that again. That wasn't cool. At all."

Rachel shook her head. "No, I told you guys that I thought it was scary."

"You had a power outburst the other day," Richard said gently. "Could something else be happening?"

She stopped. "I don't think so."

Richard watched her in the shadowy gloom and suddenly noticed how close Gar was to Rachel. He followed the trail of Gar's arm and stared at where his fingers clutched her flesh.

It bothered him.

"Should we search the place?" Rachel murmured to them.

Richard pulled his eyes away from her arm to look up at her face in the dim light. "An alarm would've gone off, if someone came in."

"Then what was in here?" Gar whispered.

"Let's check," Rachel as she absently tugged on the edges of her sleeves.

"I'm not going by myself," Gar shook his head.

"I'll go with you," Richard said automatically.

They agreed to on what places to look and then where to meet up. Then they split.

Chibi chibi chibi chicka chibi chibi chu chibi chibi chibi chicka chibi chibi chu

They both watched as Rachel headed out the door. As her quiet footsteps faded away Gar said, "I used to have the biggest crush on her."

He wasn't speaking in his usual excited voice. Richard watched him, "I always kind of wondered."

"She was one of those people that are both intriguing and sometimes creepy because they're so different."

Richard was silent for a moment. "You were never able to use the term 'creepy' right."

Gar looked at him. Richard shrugged. "Who could be happy knowing that they are going to destroy everything? There's a difference between isolating yourself to protect everyone and trying to scare everyone."

"I never meant it like that," Gar protested.

"It doesn't really matter anyway," Richard said quietly.

Gar shook his head. "You were always so lucky."

Richard locked eyes with him. "You don't know what I had to do-" he stopped himself.

Gar was giving him the strangest look. "Everyone knows that something happened. What was it?"

Richard couldn't speak.

"What did you have to do?"

They sat there in silence. "You both keep your secrets so well," Gar said finally. "I wish you wouldn't."

"If Rachel ever decides to tell you," Richard stopped. "It's her story to tell. I don't have the right to it."

Rachel moved silently through the hallways. Her ears were strained for any noise at all. The mansion had all of the light creaking's of an older home and she had to strongly resist the urge to use her magic to float.

As she passed by Rosie's room she could hear the faint noise of the woman's slight snores and felt reassured. She headed towards the training room and did a light search, followed by an office, a conference room, and three guest rooms. She was standing in the middle of the dining room when she was hit with sudden chills and goosebumps as a strong wave of intuition and certainty hit her.

Rachel swept her hand in front of her and for the first time in years at black rip through dimension appeared before her and she stepped into it and reemerged in Robyn's room.

Everything was utterly silent. She hurried over to Robyn's bed and lifted back the covers. Robyn was lying on her side, her black hair in tangles around her. Rachel's heart was still beating hard and she reached down to feel for a pulse. Robyn started at the feel of Rachel's cold fingers and she rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Mommy?"

Rachel started breathing again. "Hey Bennie, are you alright?"

"I'm tired," Robyn said blinking hard.

"Right," Rachel said, "It's fine, just go back to sleep."

Robyn lay back down and closed her eyes. Rachel brushed some hair off of her forehead and then kissed her. Robyn drifted off to sleep shortly after.

After checking everything else she met back with Richard and Gar in the entertainment room.

"It was nothing I guess," Gar said.

Richard's expression clearly showed him to be unconvinced. Rachel was more apt to trust Richard's judgment then Gar's, but there had been nothing out of place in the manor. It was past four in the morning and all three of them were showing clear signs of fatigue. "I'm not staying by myself," Gar insisted again.

"Fine," Rachel said shortly and tiredly, "We'll sleep out here."

The three spread out on the wraparound couch, Rachel and Richard on one side and Gar as close as he could get to the other two. Gar soon forgot his fear and began snoring lightly and mumbling. "You think someone was here, don't you," Rachel stated.

Richard pressed her tighter to him. "I know this place," he whispered, "Nothing else could have startled us like that."

"Both Rosie and Bennie were in their rooms asleep," Rachel said.

They both watched as Gar twisted in his sleep before resting again.

"Perhaps there was an animal in here," Rachel said.

Richard didn't say anything for a moment. "Yeah, maybe."

Rosie was up and dressed by seven in the morning. She headed to the kitchen and began to make breakfast since everyone in the house were early risers. But as time went on and no one showed she began to get somewhat irked. "No one appreciates anything I do," she muttered as she shoved the cooling scrambled eggs and toast into the refrigerator.

She stalked off to go knock on Rachel and Richard's door only to find that it was empty and the bed showed no signs of having been slept in. Surprised, she headed to the room of their guest and found that it was empty as well. After a moment of hesitation she went to the entertainment room to find all three of them sprawled out on the big couch.

It struck a chord of shock within her as she noticed just how young all three were. Richard especially looked much younger in his sleep with his expression unguarded and unhampered by any other thought.

"I'm working for a bunch of kids," she realized suddenly.

"Good morning, Rosie," Rachel's tired voice was muffled as she detached herself from Richard's chest. "What time is it?"

"It's about nine-thirty," Rosie answered.

"Oh good," Rachel said, "Five hours of sleep was more than I was expecting."

She began sitting up which made Richard open his eyes and shift around. He appeared confused for a moment, slightly alarmed. Rosie saw a flash of something sharp within his eyes, something that startled her, something that was completely out of place in that otherwise elegant face. Then it was gone, "Right, we're out here, aren't we?" he mumbled.

"You don't have to wake up yet," Rosie said quietly, "Bennie's not even up yet, there's no reason for you to be."

"Sounds good," Rachel said as she lay back down, pushing Richard down as well.

Rosie watched as both easily drifted back to sleep before glancing over to their guest who hadn't shifted at all during the entire exchange. He looked, by far, to be the youngest, twenty at the most. A happy twenty at that.

When Rosie finally went to check on Robyn, who should have woken up by now, she found the girl to be lying in bed, awake but subdued. She gave Rosie a weak smile when she saw her. Rosie looked at her with concern, something was wrong. "What's up Bennie bug?" she asked as she sat next to her.

"Nothing," Robyn said quietly.

Rosie lifted her from within the covers and pulled her onto her lap. Robyn was so skinny. "I know something's wrong. Tell me what it is."

"I love you," Robyn said suddenly.

Rosie squeezed Robyn tight, "I love you too Bennie bug. Tell me what's wrong."

"I better get dressed," Robyn said as she slipped out of Rosie's lap and landed on the floor. Her nightgown swished around her as she moved silently towards her dresser.

Rosie's concern increased as she helped Robyn pick out clothing and found that Robyn didn't much care what she wore. So Rosie did her best, dressing Robyn in bright yellow shirt with bright blue shorts and pulled her hair back into in a low ponytail. "What do you want for breakfast, honey?" Rosie asked as she swung the listless child back into her arms.

"Cereal would be good," Robyn said.

After watching Robyn slowly stir her cereal around and then wander about her playset Rosie decided that Robyn must be sick and she whisked the girl back to her room. She changed Robyn into some fresh pajamas, tucked her in and then soon returned with a thermometer and water. Robyn's temperature was fairly normal but Rosie forced her to drink the water and then kissed her forehead and left.

She headed back to the entertainment room, glancing at the clock at she went. It was one thirty, more than enough time to catch up on sleep. Yet the three adults were still sleeping, the guest curled up strangely in a ball and Rachel and Richard still intertwined. Rosie stared for a moment and then went over and yanked the drapes aside. Bright sunlight flooded the room and Rachel pressed her head deeper into Richard's chest as he raised an arm to shield his eyes and Gar tightened the circle that he was lying in.

"No," Rosie said, "It's one-thirty, wake up."

None of them moved immediately. "I think that Robyn's sick."

Gar raised his sleepy head and glanced at Richard, "You're sick?"

"No, I said that _Robyn's_ sick," Rosie emphasized.

Gar seemed more alert now, "Right," he said, "I misheard."

"Idiot," Rachel muttered as she sat up. "What's wrong with Bennie?"

"I can't tell," Rosie said, "She's just not up to her usual self."

Richard was standing and walking towards the door, "I'll go check on her."

"I'll go too," Rachel said as she moved to follow.

"I'll eat some breakfast," Gar said as he stood up.

Robyn was lying in her bed with the covers pulled up and Mrs. Hopscotch pulled tightly to her chest. Rachel shut the door after entering. Richard was feeling Robyn's forehead, "You don't feel warm, Bennie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Robyn said indolently.

Rachel moved closer, "Where does it hurt?" her fingers glowed slightly.

"It doesn't."

"Just tell me and I'll make it feel better," Rachel said.

"I don't hurt."

Rachel's other hand began to glow and she passed it above Robyn's body and then stood back puzzled. "There's nothing wrong with you," she said.

"I know."

Rachel glanced at Richard. "Do you feel tired?" he tried.

"No."

"Then what do you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't want to do anything," she said.

"Why not?" he continued.

She simply shrugged.

"Do you want to just lay here for awhile until you feel better?" Rachel asked.

"I'll lay here," Robyn said.

Both parents kissed her and then with a shrug moved closer to the door. "I love you!" Robyn said suddenly and urgently.

"What's wrong?" Richard said instantly.

Robyn didn't say anything.

Rachel sat down beside Robyn and stared into her eyes. "Don't mommy," Robyn begged. Richard recognized Rachel's look of concentration before using her telepathy. She murmured her mantra that Richard hadn't heard in years and then a black line connecting from her hands outwards to where her hands were holding Robyn's face. Robyn was crying.

The door suddenly opened, "Hey guys, is everyth-"

Rachel jerked her hands back with a gasp and Robyn's body spasmed and her eyes were scrunched closed. Richard caught Rachel before she fell all the way back. Gar stood at the door with a shocked expression on his face. He quickly stepped inside and shut the door again. "What's going on?" he whispered loudly.

"She was mind-reading," Richard snapped. Rachel was unconscious. He faintly shook her. "What just happened?" he whispered, mostly to himself.

"Here," Gar said as he quickly moved closer, "I've got her."

Richard let Gar take hold of Rachel and then moved to Robyn. She stared at him with huge eyes that were so similar to his own. But they were blank. Then suddenly she started shrieking in pain. Within moments Rosie burst in the door, "What's going on?!" she cried.

Robyn was shaking and Richard was trying to hold her down but her limbs were spasming too strongly. "I don't know!" he said frustrated and worried. "Wake her up," he said to Gar.

Gar was trying to shake Rachel and was shouting at her as though it would do any good. "I'm calling an ambulance," Rosie said and began to hurry from the room.

"No!" Richard shouted and let go of Robyn to grab Rosie's arm. He couldn't let doctors come and see this. Something had gone wrong with Rachel's powers.

Rosie stared at him. "What do you mean?" she tried to yank her arm away and was shocked at how strong his grip was. Robyn's shrieks had turned into screams and her small hands were curled up in pain and tears streamed out of her tightly closed eyes.

"I can't wake her up!" Gar said in a panicked voice.

Rosie gave Richard a quick searching look and then strode over to Rachel's limp form and slapped her hard across the face. Both men stared and there was a hitch in Robyn's screams. "I'm sorry," Rosie said as she reared back and gave another searingly hard slap.

Rachel winced and her eyes fluttered open. There was a moment of disorientation and then she flew to her feet and turned to Robyn who was now choking on her sobs. "Get out!" she commanded Rosie.

Rosie opened her mouth to speak. "_Get out_!" Rachel hissed and a small tremor shook everything in the room.

Rosie's eyes widened. "There's a bottle of xythanalium in the training room," Richard said, "Go get it. Please Rosie."

Rosie looked from Rachel to Richard then nodded and left. The instant she was out the door Rachel threw it shut with a wave of magic and then, sitting on the bed, quickly yanked Robyn's writhing arms up so that she was sitting. A sudden black magic encased both of them and Rachel moved so that both of her thumbs were pressed against both of Robyn's temples. The lamp blew up, books were ripped from the bookcase, there was smoke as the insides of the television melted, and the large mirror shattered.

"Whoa," Gar said and moved closer to touch Rachel's shoulder, a soothing gesture.

"Don't touch us!" the voice that emerged from Rachel was that of her wrathful side, one that only appeared when she was fighting something and meant it seriously.

Gar snapped his hand back as though he had been burned. "Rachel!" Richard near shouted, "What's happening?"

Clothing and toys shredded, a piece of furniture cracked along every bit of it, a vase exploded. Richard walked over quickly to the door and locked it. The destruction reigned on for a time that was impossible to quantify and then suddenly it stopped.

Rachel dropped Robyn's head and moved back quickly as though afraid to touch her. Robyn was crying quietly now, but the pain was gone from her tears. Rachel's face was deathly white and her breathing was irregular, tears traced down her own face. "Rachel?" Richard asked.

She slowly held up her hands to look at them. Every place where she had touched Robyn was covered in blisters. Silently she moved her hands outward so that Richard could see. "What just happened?" he demanded as he took hold of her wrists and examined them closer. The blisters weren't from burns.

"My powers," Rachel managed. "This hasn't happened since I was a child."

"So what just happened?" Gar asked.

"They ripped everything they touched," she answered and Richard suddenly recognized the blisters as hands that had been scraping along whatever they had grabbed. He moved quickly to Robyn and moved her hair away from her forehead. It wasn't hurt. "Robyn, speak to me," he said.

"Daddy, it hurts!" she cried and clung to his shirt as she pressed her head to his chest and cried.

"Does it do any permanent damage?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around Robyn.

Rachel slowly shook her head, simply staring at her hands. Gar sat down next to her and tried to look into her eyes, "Rachel, are you hurt?"

"Yes," she answered without meeting his eyes. "Badly."

Richard reached out and grabbed her wrist since he couldn't touch her hands without causing her pain. She stared at him through hazy eyes. "Can you fix yourself?" he asked.

Rachel stopped and it was clear that she was trying to remember something. Slowly words came from her mouth in a low stream and slowly white magic started seeping around her hands and wherever the white light touched things healed. The magic trailed up her arms and followed through the dark strands of her hair until it reached her head. The haze slowly faded from her eyes and the color returned to her face. She then immediately turned to Robyn and the white magic emptied into the girl's form until Robyn's tears ended and her breathing returned to normal.

"I want Mrs. Hopscotch," Robyn whimpered.

Richard looked around him to find the stuffed animal that had been ripped from her arms and he finally spotted it, lying on the floor utterly torn apart.

They kept the room locked as Richard carried Robyn down the hallway and into his and Rachel's room. Rachel sat by her daughter as she lay on the bed and then reached for Richard's hand. "I'm going to channel energy into you," she said, "It's going to hurt. But not as badly as this just did."

Richard nodded and braced himself as Rachel reached out and laid a hand on Robyn's head. She shut her eyes and began the slightest chanting under her breath. It was the white magic that returned this time and the three were slowly connected. Richard felt the echoes of the agony and it made him shiver with pain. It was immediately followed by a sense of melancholy and a darkness that seemed all-encompassing. Finally it ended.

He opened his eyes. Robyn was asleep. Gar was holding her left hand and it was due to the tremble in Gar's own hand that was stroking Robyn's left that let Richard know that Gar had been channeling the pain as well. Rachel let go of both Richard and Robyn's hands and pressed them tiredly to her eyes. She stood, "Let's go."

She led the way to the office where the three of them sat in near silence. "What just happened?" Gar asked after a moment.

"I was trying to read her mind," Rachel said, "But…I lost it. I can normally control it so well, but I couldn't this time and it raked through everything in her mind."

"Is she going to be okay?" Richard asked quietly.

Rachel nodded and sighed, "I just erased the entire thing from her mind. You both helped me channel the pain and energy so nothing would go wrong. I also took the depression and that- darkness."

"I didn't know that you could _do_ mind erasing," Gar said.

Rachel shifted uncomfortably. "I'd rather not do it. Ever."

"Have you ever done it to us?" Gar asked.

"No. I've only used it three times," Rachel said shortly.

"Which three?"

Rachel sighed. "The first was an accident. I erased everything from the mind of one of the monks I was training with. I was punished for that. Another time I was brought before the council and ordered to use it against a spy who had discovered secrets that no one was _ever_ to know. And the third time was for a friend. She had an illness that caused her a lot of pain so each day I would erase the memory of the pain from the previous day so that she wouldn't lose the will to live. It's not a power that I like."

Both Richard and Gar were silent. "But it works. She won't remember anything about it."

"Why was she like that in the beginning?" Richard asked.

"It was that darkness," Rachel said. "Whatever was in that darkness was causing her mood."

"That doesn't make any sense," Gar said.

Rachel shrugged. "I can't tell you anything more. That's all I know."

"When did the darkness happen?" Richard asked.

"About two days ago. I don't know when."

"So not last night?" Richard asked.

Rachel nodded, "It has nothing to do with what we heard last night."

There was a calling voice from down the hallway. "Rachel! Richard!"

Gar stood and went to the door. "We're in here, Rosie."

There was the sound of Rosie running down the hallway and then she appeared at the door, red spots on her cheeks. "What's happening?" she asked out of breath.

"Robyn's asleep," Rachel said calmly, "She's lying in our bed."

Rosie stared at her. "But what happened?" she repeated.

"Her stomach started hurting very badly."

Rosie's eyes widened, "That's not all."

"You said yourself that she wasn't feeling well," Rachel said just as calmly.

"Did you faint?" Rosie tried again.

"Yes."

Rosie's mouth was curling into an angry frown. "What aren't you telling me?" she demanded. "I've never heard that child scream like that."

"The halls amplify sound," Richard said, "It sounded a lot louder than it really was."

"That's true," Gar spoke up, "It really wasn't that bad."

Rosie still looked mistrustful. "Ask Rosie about it when she wakes up," Rachel offered.

"Here," Rosie said as she slammed the bottle of xythanalium into Richard's hand. "Hope this helps," she turned and stalked out of the room.

They listened until they were sure that she was gone and then Richard turned to Rachel. "Are your powers acting up?" he asked quietly.

Rachel bit her lip and scowled angrily before it faded. "It's not the powers," she said in a low voice, "It's the control."

All three sat in silence. Richard turned hesitantly to Rachel, "Do…are you pregnant?"

Gar's eyes shot to Rachel's face and then he looked away, concentrating hard on a spot on the wall. "No," she said. "I'm not."

"How…" Richard trailed off.

"I've got to go to the bathroom," Gar announced and then zipped out of the room. It was almost amusing.

"How do you know?" Richard asked, "We haven't been using anything."

"And you just now thought of that?" Rachel said with a slight smile. "You are bound to make the same mistakes over and over Boy Blunder."

He smiled faintly at the old name and his hand snaked over to hold hers. "How do you know that you're not pregnant?"

Rachel sighed. "I don't know if I'm ready to talk about this."

Richard looked at her slightly alarmed, "What does that mean?"

"Let's not talk about it now," she said staring him straight in his eyes, "Tonight we'll talk about it. But not now."

He stayed silent for a moment more, "Fine," he agreed and gave her hand a squeeze, "You can tell me anything. I'll still love you."

Rachel smiled. "Let's go find Gar so he'll know that we've stopped talking about sex."

It was a regularly happy child that woke up that afternoon. Robyn ran over to find her parents and was delighted to see that Gar was still there, "Hey Gar!" she cried as she ran and jumped on him.

"Hey Bennie," he said as he grabbed her up and twirled her around. "What's up?"

"You are," she said in an attempted joke.

He stared at her for a moment before a huge smile split his face. "You actually make jokes!" he said, "I had no hope knowing who you have for parents, but you're going to break the mold!"

Robyn laughed though she had no real understanding of what he was saying. "I'm funny," she said.

"I'm funny too," he said, "Want to hear some of my jokes?"

"Sure," Robyn said.

Gar proceeded to sit down and Robyn stood looking at him as he began a string of jokes that made Rachel roll her eyes and Richard grin nostalgically. How many times had he seen Rachel's reactions to Gar's lame jokes? In Robyn, however, Gar found an enthusiastic and extremely impressed audience which in turn made him very happy.

Richard suddenly signaled for Rachel to follow him. Gar saw them both and raised his eyebrows in question but Richard gestured for him to continue. As soon as they got to the hallway Richard turned to Rachel, "Can you use your powers to fix Bennie's room?"

Rachel glanced down the hall and saw that it was clear. "Normally I could," she answered in a hushed voice, "But should we risk it? Look what's been happening."

"You pulled off erasing Bennie's mind perfectly," Richard reminded her, "And what worse things could happen to that room?"

After a moment Rachel nodded and they headed to the room. After looking to both sides to see that it was empty Rachel grabbed Richard's hand and opened the black portal and phased through the locked door.

The room's devastation looked worse in the dark as the day turned to evening and the room stayed without lights. Rachel reached out a hand to touch Richard, "Help me channel," she said.

Various objects in the room were suddenly encased in black and things were reforming before Richard's eyes. He was impressed; Rachel's skill and power were far greater than they had been in the past. Watching her quickly repair everything that was in the room made it even harder to believe in those lapses of control.

In less than ten minutes the entire room was returned to its previous splendor. Rachel's eyes stopped glowing and she blinked a couple of times. She was a bit breathless but otherwise the expenditure of energy seemed to cause her little effort.

"Amazing," Richard said and then kissed her.

Rachel smiled and then unlocked the door and pulled him down the hallway and back into the living room. Rosie wasn't around making dinner so Gar offered to make it. "We have no tofu," Rachel said dryly.

Gar gave a wry smile, "You know, that's not all that vegetarians eat. The only thing that we _don't_ eat is meat. And as long as you're not Victor then there is no problem."

"Vegi-tari-an," Robyn said slowly from behind him. "What's that mean?"

"It's when someone doesn't want to eat meat," Gar basically repeated.

"Oh," Robyn said, "You're a vegi-tari-an?" Gar nodded, "Then I'll be one too."

Gar smiled, "Awesome, Bennie."

She smiled brightly. Richard sighed. "Don't worry," Rachel murmured to him, "She'll forget it by morning."

Robyn sat on the counter and watched as Gar made the food (meatless lasagna and garlic bread) and occasionally asked him questions. Rachel and Richard took the break and strayed back to the office to try to gain some more ground on the paperwork while they still had the time.

"Are you married?" Robyn asked as she swung her legs.

"No," Gar said as he spread some of the organic tomato paste over the second layer of noodles. "Are you married?"

"No," Robyn answered solemnly, "I don't know anyone else _to_ marry. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Do you even know what that is?"

"It's a girl that you love and want to marry," Robyn answered.

Gar raised an eyebrow, "How does a kid your age know that?"

"Rosie and I watch about them on the television."

Gar suppressed a smile. "Not right now."

"What about kids, do you have any of those?"

He was carefully laying another row of pasta over the paste. "You can't have kids until you're married," he said.

"My mommy and daddy aren't married," Robyn returned after a moment.

A noodle broke in half in Gar's hand. "That's true," he said carefully.

Robyn was silent for a moment. "Maybe the rules are different for them," she finally decided.

Gar breathed a silent sigh of relief and reached for the cottage cheese. "Do you want kids?" Robyn continued.

"I like kids," Gar said.

"You want them?"

"Not right now," Gar said, though a bit more mindful of his words, "But someday…" he looked around for Richard or Rachel, "Someday I'd like to have a lot."

Robyn had a big smile on her face, "You love kids?"

"Yes I do, Bennie," Gar said, sprinkling a layer of mozzarella cheese, "I love kids to death."

"Do you love me?" Robyn asked.

"Of course I do, Bennie. Don't tell anyone," he pretended to glance around this time, "but you're my favorite kid."

Robyn got a big silly smile on her face. "I have lots of people that love me," Robyn told him.

"Oh yeah?" Gar said smiling. "Who loves you?"

"You do, and mommy does, and daddy does, and Rosie does, and Mrs. Hopscotch does. And Lucy, and Mr. Frank, and Uncle Teddy, and the _other_ Rosie, and Marlene," Robyn stopped to think, "And Martha, and Grandpa Jerry, and Nana, and Grandma Louise."

"Who are those people?" Gar asked as he stopped to look at her.

"Which ones?" she asked.

"Louise and Jerry and all of those," he said.

"They're the people that live on mommy's hospital," Robyn said, "They love me very much."

Gar remembered that Rachel had worked at a hospital before finding Richard again. "You would visit them to keep them company, right?" he put the dish in the oven.

Robyn nodded and suddenly there were tears in her eyes. "What's wrong, Bennie?" he asked going over to her.

"They'll miss me," Robyn said as she allowed herself to be picked up. "They're wondering where I am. Mommy says they're sick," Robyn was working herself up into full-out crying now.

"Oh, it's okay," Gar soothed, "They probably have other little girls visit them too now that you're not there," though he doubted this very much, "they'll be okay."

"But I promised Lucy that I'd show her Mrs. Hopscotch!" Robyn cried into his shoulder, "She wanted to see her! And Uncle Jerry said that he would show me a photo of his daughter because she looked like me!"

Robyn was sobbing now. Gar patted her back and awkwardly bounced her up and down. "Should we go see your mommy and ask her when you can visit?" he asked though he was already walking down the hallway. Robyn nodded and wiped her red eyes.

Richard and Rachel both looked up when Gar and Robyn walked in. There was an astounding amount of paper around them and Rachel stretched her limbs. "Hey guys," Gar said, "Robyn got a bit upset."

"What's wrong, Bennie?" Rachel asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"I want to see Uncle Jerry and Lucy and all of my friends at the hospital," Robyn was showing the beginning signs of crying again.

"Oh," Rachel looked a bit startled. She connected eyes with Richard and gave a bit of a helpless shrug. "We'll go visit them in awhile."

"Today?" Robyn asked.

"No, it's already dark," Rachel said.

Robyn nodded, "Tomorrow?"

"Maybe next week," Richard said. "Mommy and I will have to talk about it."

Gar said that he'd stay one more night and then he'd leave the next day in the afternoon, "So you can get some more work done," he said with a smile.

"You're planning on hanging out with Bennie?" Richard asked with a grin.

Gar shrugged sheepishly and then headed off to bed.

In the dark, in their bed Richard turned to Rachel, "What was it you didn't want to tell me earlier?"

Rachel was silent for a moment and then turned on her side and wrapped Richard's arms around her. "You have to have guessed."

Richard took a deep breath. "No. You have to tell me."

He could feel Rachel lick her lips. "I can't have anymore kids," she said flatly.

Richard shut his eyes. No more. All of the things he wouldn't get to have flashed before his eyes. He wouldn't be able to be there for the pregnancy, for the birth, he wouldn't be able to hold a newborn, to teach it everything. He'd never be able to replace those first four years. But-

"We have Bennie," he said into the back of her neck.

He felt her draw in a breath of air and then her chest constricted and he realized that she was struggling not to cry. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"How sure are you?" Richard asked despite himself.

"Completely. Every time I get a checkup they tell me that. My experiences damaged everything too badly."

He pulled her close. "I'm responsible for half of all of that," he said quietly, "It's not your fault." All he could think about was how young they were and how it would only be Bennie forever.

"Can I take Bennie out to get some ice cream?"

Gar was holding Bennie's hand and she was looking up at her parents with hopeful eyes. She was dressed in red overalls with a brilliantly blue shirt that had squiggles all over it and her hair was hanging down all around her. Gar had gotten her ready that morning.

Rachel ran a hand over her loosely braided hair and glanced over at Richard. "We don't really want her to go out until the press dies down a bit."

"And it won't die down until they get some precious pictures of your precious kiddo," Gar said smoothly.

"They're going to surround you," Richard protested.

"So come with us," Gar said, "You'd think that between the three of us we could keep her safe."

Rachel gave a brief smile. Bennie would be, quite possibly, the safest child on earth. "Come on," Bennie pleaded, "Let's go."

"We just want some ice cream," Gar said with puppy dog eyes.

Rachel gave a slightly reminiscent glare. "Don't try to use the eyes or else we won't go."

Gar's face instantly broke out into a large smile. "So that means we'll go then?"

Rachel sighed and looked over to Richard who shrugged. "Sure. Let's try it."

All three of them were significantly dressed down but both Gar and Bennie were too excited and impatient to give enough time to change. "Are you going to cover it?" Richard asked with a grin.

Gar's expression was indignant. "You have all of these billions of dollars and you want _me_ to cover the ice cream?"

"It was your idea," Richard said shrugging.

"But it's your entire family!"

Richard smirked.

"I get to carry Bennie!" Gar called as the two waited by the door. He bent down so that she could hop on his back. They were ridiculously adorable. "Got your keys?" he called back to Richard.

Rachel raised her eyebrows.

"Now babe," Gar was saying to Bennie, "Everyone's going to be trying to take your picture or talk to you, cause they think you're so cool. But don't get scared, okay? Just smile at them and hold tight to me, okay?"

"Right," Bennie said and tightened her arms around his neck. It was near choking, but he didn't complain.

There was an overwhelming amount of flashing cameras nearly that surrounded them the instant that they walked out of the gate. Bennie's hold on Gar's neck quickly tightened but she smiled at the photographers. Richard and Rachel were walking on either side of Gar and Bennie and were taking the brunt of the paparazzi attack.

The attack followed them all the way to the ice cream parlor, a little place by the name of Francine's Frozen Desserts. They walked inside and a stream of paparazzi tried to follow. The woman at the front looked up and her startled eyes landed on Richard. She moved from behind the counter and her head snapped to the front of the crowd.

"Out!" she commanded.

"Wait," one of the men said, "My partner and I are buying ice cream too, we're paying customers."

"With cameras," she snapped at them, "I own this place and I reserve the right to deny service to anyone I chose. Now get out!" she began to literally push them back out of the door. As the little bell on the door jangled when the door finally closed the woman sighed and turned to Richard, Rachel, and Gar who had all been standing in silence.

"Welcome," she said pleasantly, "My name is Francine, and I own this store."

Francine was a tired-looking and plump thirty year old woman. "You must be the handsome Mr. Grayson, the lovely Ms. Roth, the adorable Miss Roth, and the cute stranger that I don't recognize."

Gar smiled brilliantly and immediately. "Oh, I like you," he said.

"I like you too," Bennie said from over his shoulder, "You made all of them get out."

"Well yes," Francine said back to Bennie, "Number one I hate muck-rakers, and number two I owe your daddy a favor."

"Oh, you don't know me," Francine said when she saw Richard's puzzled expression, "But you donated the millions that saved my neighborhood a couple years ago. I figure that I owe you pretty good."

Richard's expression cleared, "Which project was that?"

"The Beckman Streets Project," she answered immediately, then frowned, walked past them and snapped the curtains shut to block out some cameras. "Damn people," she muttered.

"You said a naughty word!" Bennie gasped from behind Gar's back.

Francine glanced back. "Well, I suppose I did. I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay," Bennie said after a moment. "Can we have ice cream now?"

"Yes," Rachel said, "That's why we came here, Bennie."

Bennie looked over at her mother and then held her arms out to her. Rachel took her arms and hitched her upwards so that Bennie was resting comfortably on her side. Francine's eyes took in all of Rachel's appearance. "You're the one that the news is saying all of those things about."

Rachel stopped and looked up at her. Bennie was looking curiously at her mother's guarded expression. "But I don't believe it," Francine said shortly, "The news hates anyone that they can't stuff into little box. Take it from me, I've been poor all my life and to hear it from the news you'd think that I'd be a dying drunk. Besides, if you were really looking for a sugar daddy then you would've dyed your hair blonde."

Rachel's lips twitched upwards. "Why blonde?"

"Ugly men go crazy over blondes," Francine said and then looked over at Richard, "And you're not ugly so you wouldn't need to pick a sugar baby."

Richard gave a good-natured bow of his head, "Well thank you very much, madam."

"Francine," she corrected.

"Now compliment me," Gar said.

Francine looked over at him. "What's your name?"

"Just call me Gar," he said, "My full name is kinda dumb."

"It's Garfield Logan," Rachel added instantly. Gar glared at her.

"My own name is Francine Willard, so don't worry about it," Francine said as she smiled at him.

They were sitting at the table, each consuming their own ice cream (strawberry in a dish for Bennie, mint for Richard, chocolate-chip cookie dough for Gar, and strawberry cheesecake for Rachel), while Gar made faces at a giggling Bennie and made eyes with Francine. Richard and Rachel were holding hands and simply enjoying the feeling of being out in public with a friend and an acquaintance.

Suddenly the door tinkled open and a man walked in while glaring at the mass of reporters sitting outside. He then turned to Francine. "Ah, I'd like a vanilla-fudge ice cream on a waffle cone and…" his eyes fell upon the only full booth and he trailed off in astonishment.

"Excuse me, are you at all involved with that disgusting pack of hounds out there?" Francine said dismissively.

"Wha…?" he looked back at Francine and then back at the crowd outside the door with an expression of realization dawning on his face. "Hell no!" he exclaimed, "I'm a newspaper editor and I've no use for the paparazzi."

"Out," Francine demanded. "I'm not letting any of the media in here."

"Wait," Rachel said, "He said he was a newspaper editor. I don't believe that he'd be interested in trying to sell our family," her eyes shifted over and locked with his, "are you?"

He found himself shocked by the power of her mesmerizing gaze. "No," he finally managed, "I'm interested in _real_ journalism. While it is respectable to print a story on how the Wayne fortune and industries has a new heir, it is _not _okay to," he gestured back to the door.

"He said a bad word too," Bennie suddenly piped up. She turned around in her seat and stood so that she could see beyond the booth wall and the man caught sight of the very pretty child.

It was clear that all of the adults were trying to follow the conversation back to when a curse word made its way in. "Oh," Rachel said, "She's talking about what you said when Francine asked if you were a part of that crowd."

"Oh," he turned to Bennie, "I'm sorry about that."

Bennie nodded and then sat back down. "Daddy, your ice cream is melting."

Richard looked down and then had to eat quickly to catch up. The man stared in interest as the city's wealthiest and former most eligible bachelor slurp up melting ice cream. "What's your name?" Gar asked.

"Hm?" the man looked up. "Oh, my name is Frank Merchant."

"You like watching us, Mr. Merchant?" Gar asked.

Frank seemed to struggle with himself for a moment. "Well it is such an odd occurrence to run into the most talked about people inside of Francine's Frozen Desserts. I'd be quite strange if I were a bit curious," he confessed.

"Fair enough," Richard commented.

"What was it you wanted?" Francine asked.

"It was a vanilla fudge ice cream on a waffle cone with a cherry on the side," Frank said.

"That's pretty specific," Francine said as she pulled the scoop out of the hot water.

Frank shrugged, "It's what I like."

"So how bad is it out there?" Rachel asked him.

"Hm?" he turned around again and was met with those big eyes.

"How bad was the crowd?"

"Bad," he admitted, "It was almost impossible to get in."

"You must have really wanted that ice cream," Gar said as he started eating the cone.

"I have a bit of an addiction," Frank nodded.

"To ice cream?" Richard asked in a slightly incredulous tone.

Frank sighed, "It's not as bad as smoking, but certainly not as good as jogging."

"Three twenty-five," Francine said as she held out the beautifully arranged cone.

Frank fumbled in his pocket for the money and Richard glanced over at Rachel. She smiled slightly and shrugged. Gar mimicked her as he faced Bennie who giggled and copied him. Rachel scowled.

"That's quite a lovely family that you have there," Frank said as he gestured with his ice cream cone.

"Which one of us was that directed to?" Rachel asked.

Frank looked at them, "All of you," he suddenly gestured towards Gar, "Is he in your family?"

"Basically," Richard replied.

"Quite a lovely family," Frank repeated with a genuine smile on his face.

"I don't want anymore," Bennie said, holding out her quickly melting ice cream cone.

Gar held out his hand, "Here, I'll help you out," Gar took the cone and began wolfing it down.

Frank was still watching Rachel, or more specifically, her eyes. She could feel his gaze and turned to look at him and he felt the strange magnetism in them. Rachel raised an eyebrow in question.

"They're not contacts, are they?" Frank said.

Rachel's eyes widened and Richard looked up quickly. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Your eyes," Frank said, "Those aren't contacts."

Gar stiffened slightly before forcing himself to slowly look up and pretend as though he were examining her eyes, "Well Frank, I don't think that this is a color that occurs naturally," he hedged.

Frank continued to stare with keen eyes, "That's what makes it so strange."

"Are you talking about mommy's eyes?" Bennie suddenly said. "Mommy has beautiful eyes."

"Of course," Frank said, "They are beautiful. Just- impossibly unique."

Francine seemed as though she couldn't help herself and she walked closer to also get a look. Rachel finally turned her head away. "Those have to be contacts," Francine said, "That's not her real eye-color. Her real eye color is probably something like the little one's here."

"Why haven't you answered?" Frank asked Rachel, "Is it your real eye color or not?"

Richard was watching silently. Rachel had always been a terrible liar. But perhaps four years in hiding had changed that.

"They're close to this color," she said, "they're a close enough shade of blue and so I wear contacts to make it closer."

Frank's face closed, it was impossible to tell whether he believed her or not. He simply nodded, "My mistake."

"Well you're beautiful enough that it wouldn't matter either way," Francine said as she leaned against the counter eating a lemon sherbet ice cream cone.

"It must be nice to just eat those whenever you want," Gar commented.

"Yes. Yes it is," Francine agreed.

They continued to enjoy their time out for over an hour before deciding to head back. Bennie insisted on giving Francine a hug and swap 'I love you's as well as shake Frank's hand whom she seemed to be more cautious of. After climbing back on Gar's back the three started to head out when Frank pulled out a business card and handed it too Rachel, "I'd love to get an interview with any of you sometime. You know that I'd be honest."

Rachel nodded and then they stepped out into the blaze of photographers.

Gar ate lunch with them and then exchanged a rather tearful goodbye with Bennie and then Rachel and Richard. He handed Rachel a note with the instructions to give it to Rosie and Bennie gave him a 'drawing' she had created. Gar folded it carefully and stuck it in a book in his suitcase and then was gone.

The news that night was full of photos of Bennie. 'Exclusive photos' they were called and they were received in a rather positive light. The interview had clearly done some great things for their image as one reporter called Bennie 'a beauty' and a credit to both of her parents.

Some still clung to the more scandalous side of things and insisted that Gar 'the mystery man' was Bennie's true father. Despite the fact that Bennie was a pale, black-haired, blue-eyed child and Gar was a tan, blond-haired, green-eyed man.

"Wow," Richard said after watching a reporter try that angle. "I just…wow. How can they believe that that is even possible?"

"Well," Rachel said, "Maybe they think that she takes after me. I'm pale, have supposedly natural black hair, and some non-purple colored eyes."

Richard was silent for a moment. "Do we look alike now?"

"That's a kind of creepy thought," Rachel said sleepily. "We covered the gamut of colors back on the team. Now…"

"Now you and I have the same coloring at least," Richard said. "And a daughter that follows along."

"She is so clearly your child," Rachel said.

Richard was silent for a moment. "Hey Rachel?" he began hesitantly. "Did you date other men while we were…apart?"

Rachel sat up and looked down into his face. "Are you trying to ask me if I slept with any other guys?" she said.

"Yes."

"I lived with a landlady, worked in a hospital, and raised a kid," Rachel said. "I had no time to do anything like that. Besides you know that the media would have managed to dig up some past guy if any had existed."

Richard gave a slight smile that she couldn't see and then was silent. After a moment he said, "Don't you want to know the same?"

"It doesn't matter to me," Rachel said flatly, "It doesn't change anything either way, so why bother?"

"Hm," Richard said. There was another moment of silence. "Because I haven't."

Rachel smiled and propped herself up on his chest to look at him, "That explains it then," she said.

"Explains what?"

"Why we've been working so hard to catch up."

Rosie silently moved from her place at the door and her head was reeling. Black _wasn't_ Rachel's natural hair color? Rosie had always known that that Rachel's real eye color was the exact shade of amethysts but she thought that that was why Rachel was dying her hair to match.

Team? Maybe they meant the kids that they lived with. But still why would Richard Grayson have been living in a home for teens?

It was also a bit awkward to hear the two discussing their sex life and Rosie was thankful that they lived in manor with thick enough walls that she never heard anything. Rachel was like a daughter to her and Bennie was her granddaughter. Which meant that Richard was… somehow related.

She knew that Rachel and Richard planned on going to work in the morning so she decided to get to sleep since she would have to watch Bennie in the morning.

"I'm not wearing that."

Rachel was staring resolutely at the outfit that Richard had left lying on the bed. He was getting dressed in 'proper' attire but he stopped to glare at her. "We're going in to work in the highly professional business-"

"Which you own," Rachel inserted.

"-where we have to act like high-class citizens," Richard finished as his glare intensified.

"Plenty of high-class citizens wear jeans," Rachel stated.

"But not to _professional_ places," Richard returned.

"No," Rachel said simply, "I'm not doing it."

Richard stared at her for a moment then walked out of the room. Rachel looked after him with surprise but didn't move. Within minutes Richard returned, dragging Rosie with him. "She won't wear it," he said to the breathless woman, "and we're going to work."

Rosie looked down at the classy and attractive clothing and then back up at Rachel who now had a sullen expression on her face. "You should be thrilled to have such clothing!" Rosie said heatedly, "You put those on."

"I don-"

"Rachel you get dressed nicely or else I will let one of those reporters come in to watch Bennie today!" Rosie commanded.

Rachel got a hateful expression on her face and then grabbed the shirt roughly. "Get out so I can get dressed."

Rosie had a grimly satisfied expression as she turned and left, slamming the door behind her. Richard had to suppress a smirk. After all this time Rachel had finally found a match. Rachel seemed to know what he was thinking because she glared at him as well. "You get out of here too."

"No," he said calmly, "I'm still getting ready."

Rachel grabbed her clothing, stomped into the bathroom and yanked the door shut after her.

People within Wayne Enterprises openly gaped as they saw Richard and Rachel enter. Richard would simply turn and lock eyes with them and they were turn away ashamedly. Rachel's foul mood had dissipated during the drive over. "Are they going to stare at me?" she had asked him.

"Yes," he said.

She sighed.

It took only a short while until they reached the elevator. They stepped inside and at the last moment a young man darted in and tried to stop his papers from falling out of his hands. Richard pressed the button for the top floor and then asked, "What floor do you need?"

"Seventeen," he answered and looked up. His mouth dropped. "You're Mr. Grayson," he said in an awed voice.

Richard nodded smoothly, "You're new here?"

"I got the internship about a month ago," he managed as the elevator began to rise. "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you."

"I do work here," Richard said.

The man nodded and then froze when his eyes landed on Rachel. She was watching him with interest. "You're the mistress," he said immediately.

Rachel didn't react but somehow the expression in her eyes changed. Richard lips tightened. "No, this is Rachel. Ms. Roth to you."

The man's eyes got big as he realized his mistake. "I didn't mean it rudely!" he said, "I just- it just slipped out!"

The elevator stopped and he dropped all of his papers. His face was red as he gathered them all while still holding the door open. He finally stepped out of the elevator and turned around, "I'm sorry!" he said as the doors closed.

"I feel so accepted," Rachel said dryly.

"It's an intern," Richard said as he took hold of her hand, "And a male one at that. He didn't mean anything by it."

When they walked out of the elevator they were greeted immediately by Richard's secretary Jonathan Lake. "Hello Richard," he said cheerfully, "and you must be Rachel," he stuck out a hand to greet her.

Rachel seemed surprised and shook his hand with a slightly friendly look on her usually stoic face. Jonathan turned back Richard, "I heard that you have a daughter now. I saw some pictures of her. Good work."

Richard had a smile on his face and Rachel had a rather incredulous expression. It was the first time that someone had said anything like that. "Good to see you, Jon," Richard said. "Did you get the work that I faxed back?"

"You sent it last night at eleven, right?" Jon said as he ran a finger along a logbook. "Yeah, I got twelve hundred and seventy-three pages, is that what you sent?"

"Yes," Richard said. "It all came through?"

"It came through correctly, I set a couple of paralegals and interns on going over the work to make sure that it's clean, they should be done in a couple of hours."

"How much work is left?" Rachel asked.

Jon smiled at her, "So far we have about four thousand pages of documents that Richard needs to personally go through. Give or take a couple hundred."

"Is this a daily thing?" Rachel said.

"No. It's a catch-up thing. It's usually about six hundred a day. I've been fielding a lot of it while you were gone, Richard."

"Yeah. I expect that you took about eighty percent and Rick Charles did the twenty," Richard said distastefully.

"And Rick Charles is…?" Rachel said.

Jon made a face, "It's a man that I'm surprised Richard hasn't fired yet."

"He's an old political ally," Richard said, "I can't get rid of him. He only has a couple of years left before a forced retirement."

"And he is…?" Rachel tried again.

Richard seemed to only now realize that he never actually answered her question. "He's the vice-CEO. Bruce put him in years ago to help settle some disputes and the man won't leave."

"Richard spends half of his time stopping Charles from making terrible decisions. While acting as though he's not."

Rachel decided that she liked Jon.

Richard's office was large and airy. There was a large window that covered the expanse of one entire wall and several chairs and a sofa as well. A different wall was made up entirely of bookshelves and the other two served as a canvas for decorations. Rachel walked over to the window and looked down the hundred stories. "Good thing you're not afraid of heights," she commented.

"Bruce wasn't either," Richard said.

"So you have some boring meetings today?" Rachel asked.

Richard was looking over the agenda that Jon had given him. "Yes. One at three and another at four."

"You're going to those alone," Rachel said. "I'm not dealing with business people."

"You will after we get caught up on the paperwork," Richard said without looking up.

Rachel sighed, "My strengths aren't in my social skills, Richard. Just let me do the reading."

"Lack of social skills can be useful in business meetings," Richard said distractedly, "And I can help even you out if you need it."

"Not today."

Richard nodded. "Right. Today you can just stay here and work on this."

Rachel soon had her shoes kicked off and was leaning against the couch, surrounded by the papers of a proposal that was riddled with legal jargon. She read quickly but the amount stretched on and on. Normally Richard did his work on desk, but he took advantage of Rachel's nearness and was lying on the couch matching checks against the overall account balances. Her head was resting against his arm and they both seemed to take comfort in the fact as they immersed themselves in work.

"This is a good proposal," Rachel said finally as she began stacking the papers back up. "What they want is an infusion of two hundred million dollars into the Lakewood-Koenig area-"

"That's the Marsh area," Richard interrupted, "It's a poor business district."

Rachel nodded, "I gathered that. They want the money infusion to cover the rent of all of the property there for ten months in order to jumpstart economic growth. It's not a drug-infested area, is it?"

"At the moment it is," Richard said thoughtfully, "But I imagine we could fix that."

Rachel smiled, "And by 'we', you mean you and me specifically, don't you."

"Yes. Go on with the rest of the proposal."

"They also wanted use the money to update the equipment of the two schools surrounding the district. Do you know what condition they're in?"

Richard rubbed his eyes. "It's a minority district," he said after a moment of thought, "Which means that it's been largely ignored economically. We could try it."

"I wanted to add a codicil about the exact reallocation of funds," Rachel said, "It needs to be more exact than what it is now."

"Just get some paper then and write out in painful detail what you want added and then give all of it to Jon. He'll set some interns on rewriting the proposal and accepting it."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "You don't want to see what I'm adding?"

"You have good judgment," Richard said, "Put in what you think is necessary. Just be sure to write out what money is being expended and give it to Jon to type up for accounting."

There was silence once again as Rachel set to work writing out the details in small, neat script. Then, still barefoot, she walked out of the room to give it to Jon. Richard could hear Jon's cheerful voice and then Rachel was back, a faint smile on her face.

"Four-hundred and three pages done, what next?" They had been working for three hours.

Richard handed over a large stack of printed checks. "These are all correct," he said as he passed over all of the pages of cross checks and balances. "Go ahead and sign them."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "With your name?"

"No, with yours," Richard said, "I already added your name to my accounts."

Rachel silently digested the fact that she now legally owned half of billions of dollars.

A few hours later both of them were startled when sharp buzz sounded through the office. "It's lunchtime," Jon's voice filled the room, "What should I order you both?"

Richard glanced at Rachel. She shrugged. "Whatever you're having."

"Chinese, then," Jon said and the intercom switched off.

Rachel sighed and stretched. "Only forty pages done, this time," she said, "I had to keep writing things."

Richard watched as she twisted her body, she was quite flexible. "I'm only about two hundred," he admitted, "I'm balancing the figures."

Rachel collapsed on the couch beside him. "Balancing figures, eh?"

Richard stared at her for a moment. "Did you really make a joke like that?" he asked in amusement.

She simply groaned in response and turned inwards to him. "This isn't fun," she mumbled.

"That's why we took such a long break," Richard said.

"It wouldn't be so bad if I was in regular clothing," she mumbled into his chest.

Richard sighed. They were silent for a moment. "How long is lunch?" Rachel asked.

"Typically I just work through it," Richard answered.

Rachel raised her head to look him in the eyes. She realized that he was being serious. "I didn't have anything else to do," he defended.

"We're taking an hour," she said as she fell limply back onto his chest.

Jon brought in the food and showed no reaction to seeing the two billionaires lying lazily on a couch together in their fancy work clothes. "I just kind of had to guess at what you liked," he said apologetically to Rachel. "I picked up some lo mein and egg-drop soup."

"That sounds good, thank you," she said. "We got about six hundred and fifty pages done, only three thousand, three hundred and fifty left."

"I've been correcting a contract that Rick Charles wrote up," Jon said, "So we're actually at about thirty one hundred. And if we get the same amount after lunch, then we'll only have twenty-one hundred left."

"I've got two meetings after lunch," Richard said. "So we'd have to subtract mine."

Jon looked at Rachel, "We'll just step it up then."

Bennie was delighted to see her parents return. She broke free of the house and ran out the steps to fling herself into Richard's arms. "I missed you," she informed him and then held her arms out to Rachel, "You too mommy. I want to go to work with you."

This time her parents were only dimly aware of the flashing cameras. "You wouldn't like going to this job," Rachel said, "It's _really_ boring."

"But you were away so long."

Richard glanced over, "Once we get caught up it won't take as long. Especially now that there are two of us."

Rosie was cooking calamari which made the house smell kind of strange. "Hey you two," she called to them, "Come here, I need to talk to you."

"Not yet," Rachel said as she hurried into her bedroom. "I'm changing out of this crap."

Richard smiled and followed her. "We'll be right back," he said.

Rachel was already stripping off her work outfit as she grabbed her customary jeans and loose shirt from out of the dresser. Richard watched as she flung her former outfit to the ground. "You really didn't like those, did you?"

"No. I did not," Rachel said as she yanked her shirt over her head.

Richard paused for a moment. "Tomorrow we'll try bringing along extra clothing to change into. And by 'we' I mean you."

Rachel had just finished tugging her shirt down to her waist. She turned around to face him. "Would that work?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

Rosie was turning over the sizzling circles in the pan when Rachel and Richard entered the kitchen. She glanced at them and turned down the heat on the oven. "I have three things to talk with you about."

They sat at the table. "I need to know if I'm living here," Rosie said bluntly. "Because I've had to call in other people to take care of the tenants back home and it's getting expensive. If I'm going to be living here then I need to sell the apartments."

Richard didn't even look to Rachel for confirmation. "Of course you're living here. What would we do without you?"

Rosie allowed herself a small smile. But she quickly lost it again. "That means that I need to sell the apartments. And I need money to settle the debts that have been accumulating while I've been gone," she gave them both a steely look, "I get paid for being a housekeeper here don't I?"

Richard suppressed a smile. "I've been living with you for about four years," Rachel said, "And I've only been paying rent for the last year. I owe you."

"Yes you do," Rosie agreed. "I also babysat while you worked."

"How much do you need?"

"I've had to pay for a caretaker to come in and work for the last two months and he's been dumb and hired outsiders to take care of all the plumbing and heating complaints instead of fixing them himself."

"So how much do you need?" Rachel repeated.

Rosie glanced at the steaming food, "I'd need to sit down and figure it out exactly," she admitted and then named a figure.

Rachel nodded. "There. What's item number two?"

"All of things that we have there," Rosie answered immediately. "We have all of our stuff and we either need to get it or else get someone to get rid of it."

Rachel frowned. "We do need to sort through all of that. There are some things that I need. Which means that we'll have to travel back."

"We could have someone else do it," Rosie said.

"No," Richard shook his head, "You shouldn't trust anyone else to do it. Not with this kind of press, you're going to lose things."

Rachel nodded, "Okay, you want to head up with me Friday after work, Richard?"

"Oh," Richard teased, "I get to actually _see_ your old place."

"So you're leaving Bennie with me for the weekend?" Rosie asked as she went back over to the stove and turned it off before going to strain a pot of wild rice.

Rachel glanced to Richard. "Sure," she hesitated for a moment and then continued on firmly, "We've spent everyday with Bennie for the past month and a half. She'll be fine over the weekend."

Rosie had her back turned to them and didn't notice the hesitation. "She's going to be disappointed. With you two at work, she doesn't really get to see you much anymore."

Richard's face was suddenly guilty. Rachel's remained firm, "We've been home with her everyday."

Rosie simply shrugged. All three were silent for a moment. "What was number three?" Rachel finally said.

"Bennie's birthday is coming up," Rosie said simply.

Richard froze but didn't say anything. Rachel noticed and uncharacteristically moved forward to wrap her arms around him. "We'll plan something for her later."

It wasn't until that night in bed that Rachel was able to find out exactly what was wrong. He was sitting on the edge of the bed and Rachel moved forward in the dim light to press a hand against his back. "What's going on?"

"When's Bennie's birthday?" he asked quietly.

Rachel was silent as she began to rub his back slowly. "It's September 14th."

"What time?"

"It was four twenty-seven in the afternoon," Rachel as she moved forward to lean her cheek against his back while continuing to trail a hand along his spine.

"Where?"

Rachel's hands began to slightly glow as she continued to caress him. "In Kingston, Pennsylvania at the Kingston Clinic. They didn't ask for any identification. Rosie was there. There was twelve hours of labor, it was a hard birth."

Richard turned slightly and took one of her hands in his, it was still glowing slightly and her hand flexed within his. "Did it hurt?"

"I meditated during most of it. I didn't really feel anything."

The touch of her hands was exquisite but it wasn't enough to entirely block out his distress.

"You went to a clinic?"

"It was the only place where they didn't need all forms of identification and…"

"And what?" he asked quietly.

Rachel did her best of fully encompass him within her arms. "It was the only place where I didn't have to put a father's name on the birth certificate."

A dead silence filled the room. "I'm sorry," Rachel said.

"How did we do this?" he asked after a moment. "How did this happen to us?"

Rachel's hands were fully glowing as she continued to rub his back. "We never got it right. It was a series of bad decisions but everything somehow turned out. Look at us now."

Richard nodded and then stood up. The glow instantly disappeared from Rachel's hands. He was still holding onto one of her hands and he pulled her after them as they headed down the hallway.

Bennie was sleeping peacefully in her bed. Richard watched her silently for awhile before reaching down and picking her up easily. She stirred and while leaning her head against his chest said, "Hey daddy."

He rested his chin on top of her head, "Hey Bennie," he said as he headed back through the halls with her in one arm and Rachel's hand in his own.

It was all three of them that fell asleep in their big bed that night. Richard stayed up nearly all of it as he watched his two sleep.

"Let's go to the park."

Bennie was standing just inside of the living room. She was wearing an old short-sleeved shirt of Richard's that went down to her knees and was now covered with the same paint that was coating her hands. Richard was standing not far behind her and while he was mostly clean there was paint on his hands as well.

Rachel looked up from where she had been reading the new contract forms from the Marsh area projects. "The park?"

It was five on Wednesday. "It's not going to be nice for too much longer," Richard said from behind Bennie. "We might as well."

"But what about our stalkers?" Rachel asked as she reorganized all of the papers.

Richard shrugged. "I think that Gar was right. If we head out more then they'll settle down more."

"Sounds good then," Rachel said. "I'll get Bennie ready. You organize this mess."

They told Rosie of their plans and headed out with a, rather, clean daughter (bright blue sundress with electric yellow leggings). The paparazzi took their usual photos but _did_ seem a bit more mellow than usual. Still it was pretty bad.

Bennie had a blast at the park though it was a bit harder for her parents to loosen up and 'properly' play. There was another mother there with two kids with her that were about Bennie's age so she was afforded the rare opportunity of playing with children her own age. The other mother appeared nervous once she realized who Rachel and Richard were. She kept on yelling at the kids with her every time they gave even the appearance of playing rough. Her two also seemed a bit freaked by the crowd of paparazzi.

It finally got to enough that Richard walked up to the crowd and asked them to at least move back so that his daughter could properly play. Needless to say the photographers weren't very keen on the idea. So Richard offered them money. For the right amount the photographers moved back.

"Daddy!" Bennie called and ran over to him. "You stay away from them, they aren't very nice!" she took his hand and began tugging him back to the playground.

Rachel had to admit that it was fairly adorable to see their daughter 'rescue' her father. She noticed the other woman smile at the scene before she realized that Rachel was watching. Then with a red face she turned back to watch her kids.

Bennie and the two boys (Justin and Gabriel) were in the midst of a pirate game (that she and Richard had often played) when the boys' mother called that it was time for them to go. The boys raced over to their mother before Justin, who appeared to be about six, went over to Rachel, "Hey, can Bennie come over to play sometime?"

"Justin!" his mother scolded. She turned to Rachel nervously, "I'm sorry about that, obviously you don't have to have your daughter come and play or anything-"

"No," Rachel said slightly surprised, "No, that's fine. It would be great for Bennie to have some friends her own age."

Richard returned from capturing Bennie who was now squirming in his arms. "Though, if you don't mind your boys could come over to our home to play, since…" he nodded back towards the photographers.

"Your home as in… Wayne…?" the woman stuttered.

"Wayne Manor," Richard said with a slightly amused expression on his face. "That's where we live."

"What's your name?" Rachel asked.

The woman turned back to Rachel with the same nervous expression. "Oh, I'm Jessica Hughes."

"Nice to meet you," Rachel said, "I'm Rachel Roth, and this is Richard Grayson."

The woman gulped and nodded, "Yes, I know," she hesitated for a moment and then burst out, "I'm sorry, it's just that I've never been around such famous people! I'm so…_nervous_. I don't mean to be rude or anything like that!"

Rachel had a genuine smile on her face. "It's fine."

"It'll get better," Richard said as he bumped his squirming child up further in his arms, "I promise."

Jessica gave a nervous laugh. "Do you have paper to exchange n-numbers?"

Bennie was in an exceptionally good mood that night as they ate dinner. "I've got new friends," she informed Rosie.

"Oh yeah?" Rosie said as she wiped a bit of the meat tamales they were having off of Bennie's face.

"Yeah," Bennie confirmed as she did her best to avoid Rosie's napkin, "Justin and Gabriel. They're almost as good as daddy at playing pirates."

The next day at work Richard commissioned Jon to get restraining orders against the horde of photographers. "We were going to wait it out," he said, "But-"

"Yeah, I saw the pictures of her at the playground. It must have been difficult to play in that sort of setting," Jon said. "Hey Rachel," he greeted as Rachel emerged from the restroom in her choice of comfortable clothing, "I see I got the right sizes."

"Yeah," Rachel said in a slightly surprised tone. "You got it exactly right. Thank you."

"No problem," Jon said smiling.

Richard smiled and moved forward to grasp Rachel's hand. "Jon is ridiculously good at his job," he commented, "He should be the vice-CEO instead of Rick Charles."

"Speaking of which," Jon said, "He wants a meeting tomorrow at the end of the day. I believe that he wants to discuss some inane idea involving a series of stock transactions that he doesn't understand."

"He can't do it tomorrow," Rachel said, "We're leaving early."

"I'll reschedule it for Monday," Jon said making a note, "You know that he'll want it here," Jon said as he glanced over at Rachel. "And he's not the nicest of guys."

"It's okay," Rachel said, "I can hold my own."

Jon grinned, "I'd always gotten that impression from you, Rachel."

At the end of the day Jon entered the office holding Rachel's 'professional clothing' on a hanger and holding two large files. "Here you are Rachel," Jon said as he passed the hanger to her.

Rachel frowned but took it. "And those are?" Richard nodded towards the files.

"Judge Hooper set the restraining orders today."

"That was fast," Rachel said as she raised an eyebrow.

"She's a good judge that has always worked to protect the privacy of Gotham's favorite philanthropists," Jon said, "She's the one that's locked all of the files of Richard's schooling and youth records."

This time both of Rachel's eyebrows rose and she glanced at Richard who smiled and shrugged. "She's a good judge," he repeated.

"The paparazzi are not allowed within one hundred and fifty feet of you," Jon said as he passed the top file, "Though they are still allowed to take photos and all of them have zoom lens."

"As long as they don't crush Bennie," Rachel said as she opened the file to glance at it.

"And the second one?" Richard asked.

"This one is actually for you Rachel," Jon said, "It's the Lakewood-Koenig area proposal. It's been revised and accepted with all of the signatures. The organization was extremely pleased that you were able to get this through so quickly. This file is a copy of the final proposal. They specifically requested that this copy of it be given to you for you to sign it and for it to be returned."

Richard looked up quickly, locked eyes with Jon, and both of them got big smiles on their faces. Rachel looked suspiciously at them. "What is this all about?"

Richard's smile slowly faded. "I'll have to go too," he moaned.

"I know," Jon said with his big smile, "You'll both hate it so much."

"Hate what?" Rachel insisted.

Richard shook his head, "I'm not going to be the one to tell you," he said darkly.

Rachel turned to face Jon. "It really isn't my place," he said with that grin.

"I'm not going to sign it until you tell me what's going on," Rachel said.

"I'll sign it then," Richard said as he reached for a pen. "In your name."

Rachel glared, Richard sighed, and Jon smiled brightly.

It was a long drive back to Kingston, Pennsylvania so Richard and Rachel left a couple of hours early from work. Bennie didn't seem upset at all to see them go which was almost surprising, but Rosie had engaged her in cooking banana bread so she remained a little distracted. They only took clothes for Richard as everything else they needed would be in the apartment.

It was almost midnight by the time they reached Kingston. It was a pleasant looking city though it bore the distinct lines created by a poor and rich class. Rachel pointed out the hospital where she worked and then four blocks past that they pulled into modest-looking apartments.

Rachel and Bennie had lived on the second floor of the four apartment complex. Rosie had decorated the complex in a distinctive Rosie fashion that included art and plants on the outside hallways as well as a small sitting room on the first floor. "The second floor is made up entirely of the apartments so it's bigger," Rachel said as they headed up the carpeted stairs.

Richard waited as she unlocked the door and then stepped into the apartment. It was clearly a more upscale apartment with an open living room, a spacious kitchen, and an adjoining dining room. Rachel was watching Richard's expression with some amusement. "I worked at a hospital, I made pretty good money," she said dryly.

Richard took in the withering plants (no one had been around to water them) and the artwork that hung on the walls before stopping as he came to a series of photos of Bennie. She appeared to be about two years old and her then short hair hung in baby curls while she was dressed a green polka-dotted dress. She looked happy.

Richard's gaze quickly moved to the next photo which was of Rosie rocking a sleepy one-year-old Bennie. Bennie's hair was little more than fuzz and Rosie's expression was much softer than her usually loud demeanor. There was a photo of Bennie being read to as she sat on a hospital bed next to a weathered old man.

He finally stopped as he came to a photo of Rachel holding a newborn baby. Rachel's eyes were gazing down at the infant in her arms and she still had a dotted hospital gown on. The baby's eyes were shut and her tiny fingers were curled into fists.

The photo was taken no more than seven months after Rachel had left him. Only seven months and he had already missed out on so much.

"Rosie has all of the photo albums," Rachel said as she came up next to him and intertwined their fingers. "There are thousands of photos from her," she stopped, "It's the best I can do."

Richard nodded and cleared his throat. "We're taking those with us," he said firmly.

"Of course," Rachel said.

Richard found himself once again surprised as he walked into Bennie's room. Neither of them had needed anything. The room wasn't as extravagant as the two that she had back at the manor but it was cheerful enough. It was also immaculate.

Rachel stood at the door of the room, frozen. Richard watched her for a moment. "I was going to leave her room like this after she left," Rachel said.

It was when she had planned to simply give Bennie to Richard. "That's why I kept all of the photos," she explained quietly, "I didn't think that I'd see her again."

Rachel's bedroom was similarly nice. She walked immediately over to the closet and threw open the door. "There," she said with satisfaction, "This is my _real_ wardrobe."

Richard walked over to peer over her shoulder. It was full of casual clothing that had been worn into absolute softness and subdued colors. The bottom of the closet contained Rachel's shoe collection which was a mixture of flats with a couple pairs of chuck taylor shoes.

He simply stared. "Wow," he said after a moment. "You really didn't go anywhere, did you?"

Rachel looked momentarily offended. "I went plenty of places and I was _comfortable_ every place I went."

"You didn't wear these kinds of things back in the old days," he said.

"I wasn't twenty-one in the old days," Rachel said, "Besides I wouldn't have been very good at hiding if I went around wearing a leotard and a cloak."

Richard had a grin on his face. "You would be wearing these kind of things too if you weren't a business tycoon," Rachel continued.

"Are we seriously taking all of this with us?" he asked as he fingered the edge of an oversized long-sleeve shirt.

Rachel smiled. "All of it."

Richard sighed.

Rosie glanced down at Bennie who was lying on her lap. They were in the entertainment room with blankets pulled up around them. As a treat for her parents' absence Rosie had allowed Bennie to stay up late watching movies and eating junk food. Bennie had made it until nine-thirty before passing out.

Rosie reached over for the remote and turned off the television. She gathered the sleeping child in her arms and began heading towards her bedroom. It took only a few minutes to transfer her into her bed and soothe her back to sleep.

That left her with the rest of the night to herself and the entire manor to herself.

She felt herself being drawn back to the desk in which she had last seen that photo of Rachel. As she opened the drawer and moved all of the papers aside she once again saw the strange photo.

Rachel looked so young. And happy. It didn't fit with how Rosie would find only a few years later. The man in that was water stained was clearly the man who had visited a few weeks ago. Victor was the name. But it looked strange somehow, the blurred colors didn't seem to correctly fit the contours.

Rosie turned the photo over and was surprised to see a small line of handwriting. The handwriting was clearly a girl's but the fancy curlicues and swirls made it clear that it was _not_ Rachel's. 'Friend Raven and Friend Cyborg with vehicle -773664' followed by a couple of strange symbols. The numbers and symbols were crossed out and then almost childish print put a date that was six years ago.

"Raven and Cyborg," Rosie said aloud. It was so familiar. There was something that was tickling the back of her mind but she couldn't quite get it. She flipped the photo over again and squinted at the watery impression of the man. It was definitely Victor.

After awhile she carefully replaced everything and left the room. There were so many mysteries that she needed to answer. As she stood in the hallway she began walking as she thought of all of the different places that might hide more secrets. Rosie suddenly found herself in front of Rachel and Richard's room. She hesitated for the slightest moment and then she went inside.

The bed was made, the curtains were shut, and the dirty laundry hamper was empty. Their room was ridiculously clean. Rosie herself did the laundry and she knew for a fact that Richard made the bed each morning. But there should have been other signs of someone living there.

She opened the drawer beside the bed but only found books and change. The drawer on the other side of the bed revealed many discarded hair ties, more books, and a large amount of chocolate kisses and empty wrappers. That was clearly Rachel's side of the bed. She had a bit of a thing for chocolate kisses.

The bathroom was still clean but showed a few more signs of having been lived in. The hamper here had clothing in it and most of the towels had spilled from their cabinet (after Rosie had folded and placed them there). Rosie huffed in disapproval and when she bent to pick them back up she knocked over the trash can as well. Irritated she slammed the towels back in the cabinet and pushed the door shut and turned to pick up the trash when she froze.

There was an empty package of black hair dye on the floor. Rosie bent down and picked it up to examine it closer. It was meant for women and it had been used recently. Her mind quickly went through all of the possible reasons for the presence of the dye. Perhaps it was Richard's. But that was crazy; his hair had always been that color and it certainly hadn't changed recently. But the same was true for Rachel.

But her hair hasn't always been black, a voice in the back of her head reminded her. Rosie groaned, purple hair didn't exist naturally! It was that simple. But then who the hell had the dye been for? Rosie's mind flew back to the photo in Richard's desk. Violet hair.

After several minutes of thinking with no answer Rosie gathered the trash back up and then left the room. And despite the hour (one in the morning) she continued down the hallway. She stopped outside of the room that had greatly puzzled her. The training room.

It had existed back in the time of Bruce Wayne, she knew that much. But Rosie had once walked in while the training room was being used and it shocked her how intricate the system was. There were actual dummies that would actually fight. Rachel had been in the middle of fighting one while Richard watched from the side when Rosie had entered.

"You always leave your guard down in the-" he had been calling out to her when he noticed Rosie staring open-mouthed at the scene before her.

Richard had quickly moved to press a button at a nearby switchboard and the robotic dummy froze. Rachel had wiped a sweaty strand of hair off her face, "It hadn't gotten me yet, why did…" she had trailed off as she saw Rosie.

"What on earth is this?" Rosie had asked as she pointed at the now inert dummy.

Richard and Rachel had exchanged glanced. "Interactive gym," Richard had finally answered.

Rosie now resisted the urge to go inside. She had seen how many controls there were and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to put everything back the way it was. But there was something that was so _strange_ about this place.

Richard by now was used to waking up beside Rachel but he wasn't used to waking up beside her in a place that wasn't their room. Especially in a room that they were able to leave the windows open so that the sunlight streamed in. As soon as he became slightly aware his muscles tensed into that old alertness that he would possess in crime fighting. Rachel's arms instantly tightened around him. "We're in my room," she murmured into his skin, "at my old home in Kingston, Pennsylvania."

His memory jumped through the early morning haziness and he suddenly remembered where they were. As he relaxed Rachel let her grip fade and therefore simply moved away when he sat up. The room was covered in little piles of 'keep' and 'give away.' He groaned at the sight and lay back down. Rachel sat up and then rested her arms on his chest. "At least there's no paperwork involved," she said only inches above him.

He took hold of her forearms and pulled her down so that he could kiss her. There was a sudden flash at the window. Both of them jumped and Rachel's fingers twitched with the slightest of dark energy. Richard was already at the window and he yanked the curtains shut.

"They followed us," Rachel said flatly.

Richard reached for his clothing that was in a pile beside the bed. He began to pull it on furiously. "We're on the _second floor_," he said, "How the hell did they do that?"

As he was pulling his shirt down Richard was heading out the door. Rachel quickly realized what he meant to do and began yanking on some clothing from one of the 'keep' piles. He was already out the door by the time she even reached the stairs.

It was once she was outside that Rachel realized what had happened. A few members of the paparazzi had used the second floor of the next house over. Then using a zoom lens they had shot through the open window. That building was also an apartment and by the time Rachel had caught up with Richard he was at the door of the second level.

He knocked on the door and the second that the person inside began to open he pushed it open the rest of the way. Inside was a team of three. One was at the door, another was crouched beside the third who was at an open laptop currently sending photos to another source.

All three looked stunned at Richard. He walked by them and over to a suitcase that was lying on the bed and began rifling through it. "Hey!" the man at the door said. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Rachel already knew what he was doing and she went to the other side of the room where she spotted a wallet. She opened and it pulled out a driver's license. "This one is Wallace Gomes," she read aloud as she copied it down onto a notepad that was conveniently placed on the same table. She copied down his address and license number.

"Hey!" one of the men, presumably Wallace, shouted as he strode over to her. "You put that down you stupid bitc-"

Richard was instantly beside the man though he had been across the room only a moment before. There was a scowl on his face as he grabbed the man's wrist and in one smooth motion flung him across the room. The man staggered and fell hard against an in table. Rachel glanced up, "I could have taken care of him," she said dryly, "We've been working on it for weeks."

The other two men sat frozen as they stared at Richard in astonishment. There was no way that he could have been that fast or…whatever it was. He had taken out Wallace so easily. Rachel continued her work as Richard turned to the other two. "Give me the camera," he said.

One of the men eeped and pointed down at the laptop. The camera lay beside it. Richard grabbed it and turned it on. He immediately erased all of the photos on it. Rachel suddenly froze. "There's something else," she said as she turned around.

"What?" Richard asked startled.

She stared at the man on the right. "What is it?"

He stared back at her in disbelief. "What do you mean, miss?"

"It's in the computer, isn't it?" Rachel said softly.

The man's eyes bulged and Richard moved to the laptop. "He sent it already," Richard confirmed.

Rachel stared at the man. "You and your partners are now fully guilty of violating the restraining order and invasion of privacy," she turned to Richard, "I have the information on these three. Let's go."

As the two left the room the photographer reached a hand into his pocket. His ID was there, in his wallet. There was no way that they had any information on him. All he wanted to do was collect the huge reward that they'd get for that photo and go.

Richard sat in Rachel's apartment, clearly frustrated. He had already called one of his lawyers who was already in the process of getting the three men charged. His next call had been to his PR agent who was nearly in tears at hearing that a photo of such a nature was loose somewhere. It was inevitable that the photo would end up in the public eye. There was no retrieving it now.

He groaned as he leaned back against the bed. "Maybe it will satisfy their curiosity," Rachel said unconcernedly as she folded a sweatshirt and put it into a garbage bag.

Richard opened his eyes. "Why doesn't this bother you? You're _in_ the picture," he pointed out.

"Are you serious?" she asked sarcastically. "I thought they only got you in the angle."

He frowned. "You value your privacy more than I do, why isn't this bothering you?"

Rachel looked up at him from where she sat across the room. "I gave up all forms of privacy when I moved in with you, Richard," she said bluntly, "I've been in the news every single night since I've been with you and all of them discuss my unquestionable evil and sordid seduction of you for your money. I can't say that I'm all that upset about a photo of _you_ having a part in this."

Richard was startled. It was true. The news hadn't crucified him like they had her. "I did my best to keep all of that away," Richard said quietly, "The parts that pointed fingers at you."

"Which is why I don't blame you," Rachel said as she continued her folding. "I've just become a bit impervious to the slander of the news."

They were silent for a moment. Richard moved closer and began helping her continue packing things up. "When you were saying that it would help satisfy their curiosity," he began, "Did you mean that we shou-"

"No," Rachel said shortly. "I didn't."

Richard smirked. "Besides we don't need any more fodder for Victor to kill you with," Rachel continued dispassionately.

Richard dropped the smirk and he paled.

They had to work hard all Saturday night in order to get everything packed. There was no time to watch the news and see if the 'scandalous photo' of them had emerged yet.

The photo was the cover of most gossip magazines that came out that Monday morning. Which meant that it was also on the morning news.

There was now something of a slideshow as the news contrasted the Grayson/Roth 'public' and 'private' lives. The public one, apparently, consisted of ice cream trips and park play-dates. The private one consisted of sleazy weekends away from their daughter (the paternity of whom was undisputed in light of the newest scandal) that were made up of nothing except hot, passionate sex.

Rachel sat on the couch, eating a bowl of cereal as she watched the plasma screen. "Did you know that the only time we have sex is when we are out of this house?" she said back to Richard who had just walked in the room.

He sighed as he watched the television. "Apparently we don't want to taint our darling daughter with our uninhibited depravity," she continued.

"I don't want to go into work today," Richard muttered as his insides twisted.

"At least it's a good photo," Rachel commented as she took another bite.

Admittedly it was a good photo. To the unbiased eye it seemed more sweet than sexual, though they clearly _were_ missing clothing. And they both looked good in the rather sleepy (not steamy) way.

However the news was biased.

Richard looked at her. "It really doesn't matter to you that everyone we know and don't know has seen this photo?"

Rachel sighed and put her half-eaten bowl of cereal on the coffee table in front of her. "Obviously I wish that this wasn't out there," she said seriously. "I'm so sick of everything that we do being splashed about for the public to see. But what are we going to do?"

"_Everyone_ has seen this though," Richard moaned as he flopped down next to her and rested his head in her lap. "All of our old teammates, business associates," his stomach dropped, "those of the Justice League that watch the news. Everyone."

"Rosie hasn't," Rachel said as she laced her fingers through his hair. "She would have exploded at us by now if she had. Gar is probably laughing his ass off, I've already talked to Victor about the mechanics of us living together, and Karen doesn't care. _Most_ of your business associates have had sex, Richard."

"Not in front of a camera," Richard muttered.

Rachel half-smiled. "Perhaps that's more than you think as well."

Richard didn't say anything.

"You know some guys would be happy to have a rather salacious photo of them with a woman," Rachel said after a moment.

Richard frowned. "Partiers and publicity hounds. I don't want any part of it."

"Thank god," Rachel said as she bent forward to kiss his lips. "I'm not into photos."

It was an uncomfortable journey through the Wayne Industries building. Richard could feel people staring at them but this time he didn't have it in him to look them in the eyes. Finally they reached the safe haven of the top floor. Jon greeted them in his rather blunt way. "That was a lovely photo of the two of you," he said cheerfully. "Not entirely appropriate for my morning breakfast, but it's actually very nice."

It was vaguely comforting to have a person let you know that they had seen it without condemnation.

"Thanks Jon," Rachel said as she took the clothing that he had out on his desk and disappeared into the restroom.

Richard turned to Jon. "Did they send the invitation yet?"

Jon glanced towards the restroom. "No. Perhaps the latest headlines will make them reconsider."

Richard stopped. "That would be a good side," he admitted.

Jon smiled. "I'd give it until the end of the week."

"What's today's schedule?" Richard asked as Rachel reemerged while still pulling her hoodie on.

"I already rescheduled your meetings today, I figured that you would want some time to recover from the latest news shock. But I couldn't get rid of Rick Charles. He's coming in to see you at three."

Richard felt grateful that Jon had already rescheduled the meetings but also a sense of dread that he still had to meet with Rick Charles. The man was infamous for his vicious tongue and Richard felt sure that he was gloating at all of the latest news.

"Oh good," Rachel said as she took that day's itinerary and looked at it. "I'll finally be able to meet this guy."

The morning passed in a mass of financially bloated tedium. At lunch Jon brought them a large bowl of lobster bisque that he had made in the kitchen that was ten floors below. As they sat eating it on the floor of the large office Rachel turned on the television so that they could watch in morbid fascination. It made Richard slightly sick to see the news but Rachel pointed out that it was the first _real_ dirt that they had on them and it was important to watch how it played out.

"How is it that they're still obsessed with us?" Rachel marveled as she switched through the various channels. There were even mentions of the latest scandal on serious news channels.

Lisa Lewis' smiling face suddenly flashed on the television. "Stop here," Richard said and Rachel lowered the remote.

"And we have more news about America's favorite couple Richard Grayson and Rachel Roth. A few photos have emerged from the pair's first weekend away from their daughter Robyn Roth age four."

Both Rachel and Richard watched with extreme interest as they caught the subtle changes in wording that differentiated this from other news stations. After a few more sentences Lisa introduced a body language expert who favorably interpreted the photo (Richard sighed when it appeared on the screen) as a private viewing of the couple's great affection and absorption in each other.

"So what is your overall, professional opinion?" Lisa asked.

The expert was looking at a copy of the photo that was on the table. "I'd say that the two are in love. Quite honestly and contrary to other sensational opinions out there. And the charm of this photo lies in the fact that the couple didn't plan this for the cameras."

Lisa had a pleased expression on her face as she thanked the expert and the camera returned to its full view of her. "And don't expect any more photos of such a nature as the pair obtained a restraining order against all members of the paparazzi in an attempt to maintain their privacy and the safety of their young daughter. Likewise those responsible for the shooting of this private moment that occurred within the confines of Rachel Roth's home are facing serious charges."

Rachel and Richard's hands were intertwined as their eyes remained glued to the screen. "The last of our news on the lovely couple lies with Rachel Roth who has reportedly been working at Wayne Industries. Rachel recently approved a two hundred million dollar contract to help restart industry in one of the poorest sections of Gotham. She appears to be well on her way to becoming the sort of philanthropist that the Wayne family has always been known for."

"Wow," Rachel said as she leaned her head against Richard's shoulder. "That was entirely different."

Richard was smiling. "I told you that we have an ally in the media now. And she's one of the most respected social reporters out there."

"It is only one," Rachel pointed out after a moment.

Richard was messaging Rachel's hand between his own. "But she's the best of them. And perhaps the others will follow. At least she put out the news nationally of the restraining order."

There was a knock at the door and then Jon walked in eating the remains of his own lobster bisque with a file under one arm. "Here," he said. "I've typed up the outline of what Rick Charles wants to come speak with you about. Although his own morbid curiosity is probably also playing a huge factor."

Richard sighed and took the file from Jon. "Thanks Jon. That saves me hours of reading."

"Yeah," Jon said, "We're actually going to be caught up by the end of this week. Then it will be back to a regular workload."

Rachel waited until Jon was gone and then she turned to Richard. "Is Rick Charles really going to be that bad?"

"Rick Charles is a man who will rip down anyone with no mind to whether he should or shouldn't. And he's going to hate you," Richard said as he looked through the outlines.

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "Why me specifically?"

"Because you now have a strong say in everything that goes on here," Richard glanced up, "And he doesn't believe that women should be in the workplace."

Rachel nodded and then sat down to get back to work. At a quarter to three the buzzer sounded in the office. "He's here," Jon voice said as the door burst open without a knock.

"Grayson," a man said before he stopped to stare.

Rick Charles was a man whose commanding presence filled the room though it was not with a confidence it was with an arrogance. He was an older man with a head of thick salt and pepper hair and a steely look in his eyes.

And he was now staring shocked at the scene before him. Rachel had taken up a full section of the room with papers spread all around her. Her shoes were off, her jeans were loose and her hair was messily pulled back accentuating how young she really was. Richard was following her example by sitting on the floor as well though his stacks of papers were a bit neater.

"Well," he said sharply, "Good to see what an influence the woman has on your professionalism."

"Rick Charles, this is Rachel Roth-" Richard said as he climbed to his feet.

"Yeah I know who this is," he interrupted, "I've seen her all over the news in various states of undress."

"Rachel is my new partner and co-owner of this company," Richard said with a dangerous look flashing through his eyes.

Rick Charles turned towards Rachel with cold contempt in his eyes, "Good to meet you Rachel. It's really quite astonishing how quickly you were able to climb the corporate ladder to reach this…er _position_."

Rachel was staring at him with blank eyes. "It's interesting to meet you _Rick_ after all that I've heard about you. It's astonishing how quickly you were able to live up to your reputation."

All of her words were delivered with a rather flat affect that left no room for accusations of sarcasm. Rick Charles didn't seem to care. "I find it interesting that you feel the need to leave your child at home while you come here to sit in the middle of piles of paper."

"Well I did feel rather guilty leaving my daughter at home, but I couldn't leave all of the work to you now, could I?" Richard answered instead of Rachel.

"I wasn't talking to you," Rick Charles snapped.

Richard sighed. "Shall we get to business?"

Rick Charles managed to put his disgust to the side for enough time to outline a plan that matched everything that Jon promised it would. A series of financial transactions that he clearly didn't understand at all. Rachel glanced up and locked eyes with Richard for a moment. He managed to shrug without moving at all and Rachel smiled back at him.

At the end of the proposal Richard suppressed a sigh and agreed to go ahead with it. He said that he would take care of it which meant that he would let Jon do his best to salvage the terrible plan. Rick Charles nodded with a satisfied gleam on his strong-featured face. He turned to leave and then stopped as he caught sight of Rachel lounging on the floor as she wrote her name on a check that she was clipping to the top of a finalized contract.

"Are you making a new two hundred million 'donation' using his money?" Rick Charles sneered as he jerked his head towards Richard.

Rachel stared at him. "I own half of it," she said after a moment. "And it's an investment. We'll see an eventual monetary return in nearly twice the amount."

"Using his money."

"It's _business_. Would you rather I be spending it on a new vacation home?" Rachel asked with a blank expression on her face.

Rick Charles simply looked at her with poorly-masked contempt and then huffed and left the room.

After watching the shut door for a moment Rachel turned to Richard. "He certainly is a charming man, isn't he?"

Jon knocked and then opened the door and shut it behind him. He grinned at Rachel. "So I see that you _can_ hold your own. The man was furious," he paused, "more so than usual."

"We're doing the proposal," Richard said with a sigh as he held out the folder, "Salvage it the best you can, please."

Jon eyed the folder. "_Is_ it salvageable?"

"Not completely," Richard said, "We're going to lose about two hundred thousand if we manage to scrape it down."

Rosie had spent all day unpacking everything that Rachel and Richard had brought back with them. There was a surprising amount of things and it didn't help that Bennie kept running around it excitedly as she recognized various things. She also noticed a sudden sharp spike in the amount of photographers that were hanging around though they maintained their distance.

Rosie took a break at noon to make sandwiches for herself and Bennie and they sat in the garden while Bennie flew about the playset. It startled her when the phone rang. Theirs was a private number and they had very few calls during all of the time that she had been there.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver.

There was a small voice on the other end, both hesitant and laughing. "Is Bennie there?"

Rosie stopped. "Who is this?"

"This is Justin. I was wondering if Bennie wanted to play on this weekend."

"How do you know Bennie?"

There was a sudden voice in the background on the other side of the phone line. "Justin! What were you doing in my pur…Who are you talking to?" It was a woman's irritated voice.

"I was calling up Bennie," Rosie could hear Justin whine.

There was a sudden silence. Then the woman's voice drifted through the phone. "Hello, is this…is um…"

"How did you get this number?" Rosie asked.

"Is this the Grayson residence?"

"How did you get this number?" Rosie repeated.

There was the sound of the woman shifting the phone. "Um, yes, my name is Lindsay Hughes, my two sons met Robyn while she and her parents were at the park. We exchanged numbers and, um, I guess that Justin was calling to see when Robyn was free."

"Her name is Bennie," Rosie could hear Justin say in the background.

"Oh," Rosie paused, "Well, I'll have to check with Rachel and Richard but if your boys wanted to come over this weekend that would be fine."

The woman sounded startled, "Oh, okay. Do you know what time would be okay?"

Rosie shrugged and then realized that Lindsay couldn't see it. "Anytime after lunch. I'll have one of them call back to confirm it."

"That sounds good," Lindsay said nervously before hanging up.

Rosie walked back outside, "Hey Bennie-bug."

"Yeah?" Bennie called from the top of the slide.

Rosie shielded her eyes against the sun. "Did you meet a boy named Justin and his brother when you were at the park?"

"Justin and Gabriel and their mom," Bennie said, "Yeah, I like them."

"Do you want them to come over this weekend?"

Bennie smiled, "Yes! They can come over and play with mommy and daddy and me."

Rosie echoed her smile. "Your parents will be thrilled. Do you want to help me finish bringing my things in?"

Bennie stopped to consider. "Sure," she said and then hopped down the slide, "Let's go."

"We're doing the proposal," Richard said with a sigh as he held out the folder, "Salvage it the best you can, please."

Jon eyed the folder. "_Is_ it salvageable?"

"Not completely," Richard said, "We're going to lose about two hundred thousand if we manage to scrape it down."

Rosie had spent all day unpacking everything that Rachel and Richard had brought back with them. There was a surprising amount of things and it didn't help that Bennie kept running around it excitedly as she recognized various things. She also noticed a sudden sharp spike in the amount of photographers that were hanging around though they maintained their distance.

Rosie took a break at noon to make sandwiches for herself and Bennie and they sat in the garden while Bennie flew about the playset. It startled her when the phone rang. Theirs was a private number and they had very few calls during all of the time that she had been there.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver.

There was a small voice on the other end, both hesitant and laughing. "Is Bennie there?"

Rosie stopped. "Who is this?"

"This is Justin. I was wondering if Bennie wanted to play on this weekend."

"How do you know Bennie?"

There was a sudden voice in the background on the other side of the phone line. "Justin! What were you doing in my pur…Who are you talking to?" It was a woman's irritated voice.

"I was calling up Bennie," Rosie could hear Justin whine.

There was a sudden silence. Then the woman's voice drifted through the phone. "Hello, is this…is um…"

"How did you get this number?" Rosie asked.

"Is this the Grayson residence?"

"How did you get this number?" Rosie repeated.

There was the sound of the woman shifting the phone. "Um, yes, my name is Jessica Hughes, my two sons met Robyn while she and her parents were at the park. We exchanged numbers and, um, I guess that Justin was calling to see when Robyn was free."

"Her name is Bennie," Rosie could hear Justin say in the background.

"Oh," Rosie paused, "Well, I'll have to check with Rachel and Richard but if your boys wanted to come over this weekend that would be fine."

The woman sounded startled, "Oh, okay. Do you know what time would be okay?"

Rosie shrugged and then realized that Jessica couldn't see it. "Anytime after lunch. I'll have one of them call back to confirm it."

"That sounds good," Jessica said nervously before hanging up.

Rosie walked back outside, "Hey Bennie-bug."

"Yeah?" Bennie called from the top of the slide.

Rosie shielded her eyes against the sun. "Did you meet a boy named Justin and his brother when you were at the park?"

"Justin and Gabriel and their mom," Bennie said, "Yeah, I like them."

"Do you want them to come over this weekend?"

Bennie smiled, "Yes! They can come over and play with mommy and daddy and me."

Rosie echoed her smile. "Your parents will be thrilled. Do you want to help me finish bringing my things in?"

Bennie stopped to consider. "Sure," she said and then hopped down the slide, "Let's go."

It was strange for Rachel to return home and see many different touches from her old home. Bennie, of course, was very proud and insisted on showing her every little thing that had been moved or changed.

Rosie meanwhile had told them about Justin/Jessica Hughes' call and Richard went to the phone to confirm the plans. Rosie watched as Rachel read a book while sitting on the couch. Finally after a few moments she walked over and sat next to her.

"Rachel, what is your real hair color?" Rosie asked.

Rachel glanced up, startled. She watched Rosie's face for a moment and then said, "In truth it's actually dark brown. I've had it dyed purple forever and then you picked up that black for me and I kept it that way. Why?"

Rosie's gaze remained locked on Rachel's eyes. "How is it that your eyes _are_ that color?" Rosie asked.

Richard walked in right as Rosie was asking and he froze for a moment. Rosie was too busy watching Rachel for a reaction to notice him. "I don't know," Rachel said in a rather sarcastic voice, "I chose it when I was younger."

"You never tell me anything," Rosie said, "I've lived with you for years and I still don't know who your parents are, where you lived, you didn't even tell me who _he_ was until you went to bring Bennie here."

Rachel simply stood up and walked out of the room. "Goodnight, Rosie," she said as she left.

It was then that Rosie caught sight of Richard. "And what the hell were you doing in a group home, Mr. Grayson?"

"What?" he asked.

"Isn't that how you and Rachel met? Or is it the way that you told Lisa Lewis on the television interview?" Rosie's face showed a formidable temper. "Were you just going with what sounded better?"

"I-"

"And how did you let her leave into that homeless shelter? How did she get into the condition that she was in? Do you have any idea what she was like?" Rosie seemed to be working herself into something of a fury. "She needed to be taken care of!"

"She left," Richard started back, entirely unprepared for this outburst. "She left and didn't want to be found."

"Did she want to end up in a homeless shelter? The youngest one there? Did you know that I took her in to help protect her from the some of the people that she'd meet on the streets who would come after her for her beauty?"

They stood in silence. "You come with me," Rosie said as she crossed into the next room where there were a stack of photo albums. She pulled a brown leather one out from the bottom and began rifling through it. "Here's the first photo I have of her. This is what she still looked like, one month after living with me."

Her thinness accentuated her pregnant form as she sat in a chair in the far side of a living room staring at a television. The eyes were still fairly blank, she looked exhausted, sickly. Her hair was still violet at that point, but it was thin. She was a difference of parts instead of a sum of them. "How did she end up like this, Richard?"

"A lot of bad things happened," Richard said blankly as he stared at the photo, "The team was done with, everyone was leaving. There were so mistakes that we couldn't fix."

Rosie watched as he turned the page. Photos of Rachel in the beginning were few and far between. Rosie hadn't felt right taking pictures of such a sickly girl. "What team?"

"All of us," Richard said. Rachel became steadily healthier and happier-looking as the pregnancy furthered.

They were both silent for a moment. "What was she like?" Richard asked as he turned another page.

"What?" Rosie asked startled.

"How did she get better? What happened?"

"Haven't the two of you talked about it?" Rosie said.

Richard was still absorbed in the photos. "Once. But I want to know more."

"In the beginning I thought that there was something seriously wrong with her," Rosie admitted after a moment. "She seemed too intelligent to have a mental disability, but there was something that wasn't right. So I took her to a hospital where I found out that she was pregnant. About two and a half months along."

Rosie could see Richard doing the math in his head. "How long had she been away from you then?"

"About three weeks," he said.

Rosie nodded, "Good. I've always wondered how long she had been on the streets. I was hoping that it wasn't too long."

"She never told you?" Richard asked.

"She never told me anything from that time. I don't know if it's because you are all keeping secrets or if she honestly doesn't remember."

They were both silent for a moment. Rosie watched him as he stared at a photo of Rachel and his shoulder slumped under the weight of the guilt. After a moment he set the album aside and looked directly at her with those intense blue eyes. "Tell me all of it."

"Starting where?" Rosie was all too ready. She knew that Rachel would never fully describe everything that had transpired.

"After you took her in."

"Well, as I said. She was pregnant and she had no insurance. I had some savings, but it wasn't nearly enough to take care of hospital costs. She kept on saying that she wanted to get an abortion, and I did look into it. But she wasn't old enough, had no parental consent, and we certainly didn't have the money for that."

The thought entered both of their minds at just how much money he had. Neither of them articulated it.

"There's a free clinic though, downtown," Rosie continued, "They don't give you the best treatment but you only have to pay what you can. And Rachel was good at soliciting pity. Not something that you should ever mention to her, but she's such a little thing, and her eyes were so blank and everyone knew that something terrible had happened to her.

"But then as the pregnancy progressed she started getting better. Happier, sharper. It was strange, to be honest. I was happy that she was getting better and for that I'm glad that we didn't have the money to get her an abortion."

Richard's eyes were still on her.

"So then little Bennie was born, and she was the cutest thing that I've ever seen. After she was cleaned of course."

"Rachel said it was a hard birth," Richard suddenly interjected.

"Twelve hours of labor," Rosie confirmed, "Rachel's never been a complainer so it didn't seem to take as much out of her. She also healed remarkably quickly. Everyone said so," Rosie paused. "Normally people don't approve of someone so young having a baby, but she seemed to become much better."

"She had friends?"

"No personal ones. She never went outside or did anything in the beginning. But people would recognize her after awhile. The people at the clinic…" Rosie trailed off. She stared Richard straight in the eyes. "Richard what happened to her? How did she become like that?"

"You wouldn't believe it," he said simply.

Rosie stared at him, "What does that mean?"

"Rachel never told you. There are reasons why she didn't."

"But you know what it is," Rosie countered. "You know what happened."

Richard said, "I do know…part of it at least."

Rosie hesitated for a moment. "Was she tortured, Richard? Raped? Isolated? Neglected? What was it?"

Richard didn't say anything. He couldn't deny any of them happening. Hearing everything listed like that, a laundry list of pain, made him further realize how hard Rachel's life had been.

Rosie didn't hesitate this time, "Is Bennie yours?"

"Yes," the answer was quiet and immediate.

Rosie gave him a questioning look. "It was consensual," he said. "We were in a relationship."

"These people that keep coming to see you both- were any of them involved?"

"We all lived together," he said tonelessly.

Rosie knew that he was answering her on an autopilot and that he was answering far more than she could ever expect again. "Where were they when Rachel needed them?"

"They've been looking for Raven for years."

Raven. There was that name again. "Who is Raven?" she asked carefully.

He glanced up, a bit of the alertness returning to his eyes. "That's an old nickname for Rachel. It doesn't really matter."

"And Victor…was he Cyborg?" Rosie said.

A strange calculating look mixed with the instant alertness in his eyes. He stared at her for a moment. "You've seen the photo."

"Yes," Rosie said. It was obvious enough.

"Why were you going through my things?" There was the slightest hint of danger in his voice.

"How else am I supposed to figure out the secrets you two keep? Neither of you are willing to tell me."

"And it's none of your business," he was suddenly angry and Rosie was astonished that she could feel it.

Her formidable temper flared up but then quieted instantly. "I took care of her for four years and I love her like my daughter. Of course it's my business."

They were both silent. "Tell me more about Rachel," he said, "While she was with you."

"Not Bennie?" Rosie asked with a raised brow.

"Rachel will tell me everything about Bennie," Richard said with slight smile before it vanished. "But she'll never tell me about the troubles that she went through herself."

"I'll answer if you tell me some things yourself," Rosie said.

Richard shook his head, "I can't tell you things."

"I'm not talking about the latest things," Rosie said irritated. "You can answer _some_ can't you?"

Richard slowly nodded, "I can do that."

They were silent for awhile. "Who are her parents?" Rosie asked.

Richard hesitated; he wasn't sure how much he should tell her, Rachel had always guarded her privacy so well. "Her mother raised her until Rachel was thirteen. Her father was a really terrible man. Now she's an orphan."

"That's it?" Rosie asked.

"You know that Rachel wouldn't want me to tell you more," Richard said, "Don't expect me to."

Rosie was silent. "How did she come to live with all of you?"

"Rachel left her mother. We were in a group home."

"Why were you there?"

Richard shook his head. "I already told you that I can't tell you that."

Rosie was irritated but she didn't press her luck. "Who was in the home?"

"Victor, Gar, Rachel, another girl and myself were there."

"Who's Karen, then?" Rosie asked.

"She's from a different home, but we interacted with them."

"Did you go to school?"

Richard hesitated. "We were sort of home-schooled."

"Sort-of?"

"Yeah. Sort-of."

"Is Bennie the first baby that she's had?"

"What?" Richard's heart skipped a beat.

Rosie was giving him a hard stare. "I know that you know how damaged her womb is."

Richard hesitated and then nodded. "Yeah I know."

"Bennie didn't do all of that damage on her own." It was a statement.

Richard knew that an evasion was just the same as saying yes. He was so unpracticed with lying with his eyes exposed. "I don't know everything about her life."

"But you do from when she was thirteen to when I found her," Rosie countered.

Why was she so goddamn sharp? "I don't know anything about that, Rosie," Richard said quietly.

Rosie was giving him a look that didn't show whether she believed him or not. "Now it's your turn," he said.

Rosie sighed. "She got a lot better after Bennie was born. Whatever had been haunting her was completely gone. When Bennie was six months old I finally felt secure enough in her…sanity, for lack of a better word, to let her and Bennie move into their own apartment. Across the hall, anyway."

"I've seen it," Richard nodded. "It was very nice," he paused, "Why exactly did you take Rachel in? You didn't know that she was pregnant at the time."

"She was such a pretty little thing," Rosie said, "Honestly, that's what drew me. And despite being the way she was, she seemed like she had come from someplace better. I thought maybe she was a runaway and I was going to take her and find out where she was from and try to get her back home. Then I found out she was pregnant and I grew so attached."

Rosie sighed and Richard could see the ghosts passing before her eyes. Then she shook her head. "I had bought her some things from the local thrift stores, got her some livable things and offered to watch Bennie if she went and found a job. She got one at the hospital and did _very_ well there."

Rosie paused and then looked Richard in the eyes, "She's not very social, but she knows hot to handle people. That's for sure. She's good at taking care of them, she's good at knowing what they need, and, if she's feeling up to it, she's good at making them happy."

Richard didn't say anything, but he knew what she was talking about. Rachel was empathic, a healer, and somewhat telepathic, among her other talents. She was made to serve other people, despite being destined to destroy them all.

"Anyways. That's pretty much it. Outside of me and Bennie, and a few of her patients she didn't really have many friends. Though she does have a weakness for children."

Rachel was already asleep when Richard reached the room. Her still-wet hair evidenced her recent shower and she seemed rather peaceful. It didn't stop him from waking her.

MANY YEARS LATER

Raven sat on the large bed that she shared with Richard. Her hands were held to her and she was filled with disbelief. The door opened and closed softly and she felt Richard climb across the bed and press his lips against her neck. "Wanted some quiet?"

It was a silly question. Bennie was out at Hannah's house and Rosie had left to a church meeting. They were alone. Rachel moved a hand into his hair and then reached for one of his hands. Their fingers slid together and then she pulled his other hand along as well. He nuzzled her neck and she had both of his warm hands pressed to her abdomen. "Feel it?" she whispered.

He froze and then his fingers tightened a fraction of an inch. She pressed her palms down on her abdomen bringing them closer. "Right there."

He suddenly spun her around and pulled her so that she was just inches away. He was completely pale. "What?" he asked with his hands held tight to her wrists.

She broke free of his hold and with one hand she stroked the side of his face and used the other to press it against her abdomen again. "We get eight more months," she whispered to him.

His eyes were huge. His other hand drifted down again and she could feel the trembling. "You said that it couldn't happen," he whispered hoarsely.

She heard the unasked question. "It's real. I've checked, meditated, all of it. It's our baby, Richard."

He suddenly had his head buried in her chest and she realized he was crying. As she ran her fingers through his thick black hair he clung to her tightly. Finally he raised his head and looked her in the eye. "God I love you."

Richard and Rachel wanted to enjoy the pregnancy for as long as they could. They would let society figure it out on their own. They wouldn't tell Rosie and Bennie for a couple more months still. It was hard to figure out just how long they had. Rachel was so petite and slim that a baby bump would show fairly quickly.

Rosie knew that something was up, though. Richard had always shown his great love for Rachel, but now he could hardly stop touching her. He would get this big silly smile on his face for no visible reason.

"These all show," Rachel said as she stood in the closet, dresses discarded all around her.

"What do you mean?" Richard asked as he walked over, half-dressed.

"All of my regular clothes are baggy enough, but these were _meant_ to show off my body."

They were dressing for a function in which they were to be honored, yet again, and there was no time to find replacement clothing. Richard unconsciously went to stand behind her, one arm holding her tight to him, the other down to feel the two and a half month baby bump. She was so slim that it looked even further along. "I can just wear my regular clothing," Rachel said hopefully.

"No," he said. "I guess it's time everyone else finds out."

The division at the function was never more noticeable. Some of the other members worked hard to mask their surprise. Lorraine smiled and complimented Rachel on her dress. Gilbert told Rachel that she looked stunning and smiled heartily at Richard.

Then, of course, there were the latest nouveaux riche such as Kitten who came up and visibly scanned Rachel's body. "Fishing for a ring?" she asked loudly.

"I keep asking," Richard intercepted smoothly as though the question were meant for him, "but she keeps turning me down."

Someone, no doubt Kitten, must have repeated this to the press for it was on the morning gossip shows along with what few photos there were. Rachel lay sleepily in the crook of Richard's arm when Bennie came running up.

Seven years old with her long silky black hair pulled into a thick French braid she stared at her mother's abdomen that was now masked in a loose long-sleeved shirt. "Are you going to have a baby, mommy?"

Richard reached out and swung Bennie up onto the couch with them. She settled herself. "Are you having a baby?" she repeated.

"Yeah, Bennie-Bug. I am."

Bennie blinked a couple of times before great tears began to stream down her face. "You're getting rid of me?"

"That's not how it works," Richard said as he struggled to mask his smile.

"Why are you getting a new baby then?" Bennie asked miserably.

"So that you'll have someone to play with. Like Justin and Gabriel," Rachel said.

"Why can't I just play with Justin and Gabriel instead?" Bennie had her head buried between her parents' bodies.

Neither Richard nor Rachel knew quite what to say. They had both been only children with rather lonely childhoods. "You can still do that," Robin said, "But now you also get to be a big sister."

"Right," Bennie was making a visible effort to try and reconcile herself to the news. All they could do was hug and kiss Bennie.

The paparazzi returned to their hunt upon finding out about Rachel's pregnancy. She never satisfied them by wearing clothing that showed off 'the bump' as the news called it until she reached halfway through the third month and it rounded her usually loose clothing.

Richard was unbelievably delighted and he was visibly excited about everything with the situation. Rosie and Rachel were watching the news one evening as Robin was putting Bennie to bed. It was going over photos from a recent park trip for the three to join Hughes, Justin, and Gabriel. The photos showed Robin hovering around Rachel the entire time. His happiness was evident on his face and their constant physical touch seemed increased.

"You're going to make so many women jealous," Rosie commented.

"Yeah?" Rachel said.

"It's been over three years since this all began and he's still crazy about you. Besides look at those photos. He can't be happier that you're pregnant. They're going to be so envious."

"Not to mention how great she looks," Richard added as he leaned over the couch and kissed Rachel generously.

It was certainly true that Rachel carried the pregnancy well. Her body stayed utterly slim except for her abdomen and she retained all of the advantages that came with it.

They continued heading into work were Jonathan Lake's cheerfulness added to the happiness. When Rachel was seven months along Gar came back for another stay. He and Bennie had many long conversations about how cool being an older sister would be.

In the middle of the night Rachel woke up and detangled herself from Richard's arms. She stood up and felt something wet sliding down her legs. Her magic flicked on a light and she could see the blood flowing thickly down. Richard had snapped awake when the light turned on. "Wha- Oh god."

He stood and scooped Rachel into her arms to lay her back on the bed. "Rosie!" he shouted.

Their door was shut and she couldn't hear. He glanced at Rachel and ran to the door and flung it open. "Rosie!"

Rosie was soon by Rachel's pale body. "Call an ambulance."

It seemed impossible that there was so much blood. Rachel couldn't remember it happening like this before. There were so many faces near but she was confused. How could her body betray her like this? Suddenly she could hear Richard's voice echo through the haze of trembling pain.

"Don't heal yourself yet."

Then a raw pain of cutting knives and burning hot metal multiplied all of the sensations haziness.

"Not yet," Richard whispered again.

God, there was so much blood, covering everything. She didn't have the energy to heal herself it was difficult enough to remember to breathe.

Then it was gone. There was an emptiness and her fingers were held so tightly within someone's hand, but someone else was gently stroking the other. "It'll be okay, baby," Rosie's soft voice trickled through the exhaustion. She knew faintly of being changed to a new bed in a new place and then there was nothing except terrible silence.

When Rachel finally woke she felt the absence. She took in a deep breath and then suddenly realized that Richard was holding tight to her hand. His face was so sad. "We-" she began in a raspy voice that broke.

"We lost it," he finished for her.

Rachel looked tiredly into his eyes for a moment and then her face crumpled. He gently shifted her over and climbed beside her and clung to her while joining her in bitter tears.

Rosie sat in the hallway, her normally squared shoulders were slumped and her face showed its years. Gar too was exhausted. Rachel had been in labor for twenty hours before the doctors had decided to cut instead. The baby itself had died long before that.

"What just happened?" Gar said as he rubbed his face.

"She miscarried. She's known for years that she can't have anymore babies. Richard knew it too."

Gar was sitting back up. "Then how did this one happen?"

"I thought it was a miracle."

There was a moment of pained silence and then Rosie broke into heavy tears that made her whole body shake. Gar stared ahead for a moment and then put his arms around Rosie. "He was so happy. And she was too. It was going to be good from the start this time," Rosie sobbed.

Gar could feel his own eyes becoming wet. The two had been so happy so wonderfully excited for this now-dead baby. His throat was aching. "There's an empty nursery waiting at home," Rosie continued, "Rachel was letting Richard pick the name this time, he wrote a list that's in their nightstand. And there's nothing coming back."

"But she's still alive," Gar finally managed though a couple tears slid down his cheeks. "Rachel's still alive, and Bennie's still there and Richard will be alright. It'll get better."

Richard held Rachel after she had cried herself into complete exhaustion. He couldn't bear to let his hands fall to where, only a day before, their baby had been. There was now only a row of stitches from the doctor's cut.

He was devastated. He had had it all and then nearly lost it all. He had been in the room to know how near Rachel had come to dying. She had lost so much blood and her body was so weak with pain that it nearly incapacitated every other part of her.

And the baby…he had let the doctors take it away. He didn't want to know anything yet. Not until Rachel was awake. He knew that he wouldn't be able to do it alone. His mind blanked and then another wave of anguish hit him. God it hurt so badly.

Rosie was finally settling down when a doctor approached. "Excuse me," she said, "But you're here with Ms. Roth and Mr. Grayson, right?"

Gar nodded.

"There are a lot of people out in front of the hospital. Reporters actually. They're kind of blocking everyone and they are waiting for some sort of statement. We wanted to let it wait, but they've been out there since you all arrived."

Rosie's face contorted. "Those vultures!" she hissed as she struggled to her feet.

Gar was up instantly and he put a hand on her arm. "No," he said, "You can't go attack them, as much as they deserve it."

"They don't know anything that happened yet," the doctor said quietly, "They're expecting to hear news of- the birth."

Gar ran his hand through his hair. Rosie stayed still. Then she pulled out Richard's cell phone, which she had grabbed on the way out, and dialed Jonathan Lake. She didn't waste time telling him what had happened yet, she just asked him to take care of it.

Within two hours a couple of police officers came to the crowd outside of hospital and showed them a new restraining order bearing the name of Judge Hooper and dispersed the crowd.

Victor appeared at the hospital and Rosie was sent forward to identify him as a friend or some impersonator. "What's going on?" Victor said worriedly when he saw Rosie's tear-streaked face.

She couldn't hold up any longer. They were helped into a conference room due to the high profile that they all carried. "What's happened?" Victor asked a bit more frantically.

"She miscarried," Gar said.

Victor stared for a moment. "Is she okay?"

"Of course not," Gar said tightly, "She just lost the fucking baby."

"She's alive though, right?" Victor insisted.

Rosie nodded.

He was silent for a moment more. "God_damit_," he finally said as he turned away.

No-one spoke. "_Damn_," Victor said again and Gar could hear the break in his voice.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "It sucks."

Rachel finally woke again to the insistent pain that still coursed through her body. The instant she opened her eyes all of it rushed back to her, every terrible delirious moment of the last day hit her in an almost physical jolt that made her choke. She was dimly aware of Richard's arms that tightened around her when she moved.

"I've got you," he whispered to her.

Her already aching eyes were streaming the painful salty trail. "I'm so sorry," she choked out, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm-" her voice broke.

He pressed his lips into her hair and pulled her as tightly to himself as he could manage. "It's not your fault," he said, "We knew we were taking a chance. There was nothing we could do."

Rachel didn't say anything, just continued the harsh sobs that made her already pain-wracked body throb with further hurt. Richard was silent. There was nothing to say.

After awhile they simply lay together without words. There was a quiet knock at the door and a nurse came. "Excuse me," he said as he walked in and went over to Rachel. "How are you doing for pain? Do you need some more painkillers?"

"Physically?" Rachel asked in a dead voice. "I'm fine."

Richard could feel the throbbing pain through the bond that they shared. The nurse nodded. "Also," he said quietly, "Dr. Reynolds wants to know if you'd like to see the baby."

"Yes," Rachel said as she struggled to sit up and a white hot pain flashed through her entire body.

The infant was lying in an incubator wrapped up tightly in a blanket, the pink knit hat on its head signifying a girl. She was so ridiculously tiny, mouth soft in sleep-like repose, eyes shut tight. Richard stared at the tiny, perfect hands with white tipped nails in a tiny rounded shape. He was hit with a sudden desire to open her eyes, to see if they were blue or violet.

"We took a photo," the nurse said quietly from behind them. "You'll want it later." He excused himself and left them alone.

Jonathan Lake had driven down to the hospital and now took charge of the situation. He deflected all of the flowers and cards sent by unwitting well-wishers, making sure that all of them stayed out sight. He quietly made all of the arrangements to have Rachel and Richard's daughter interned privately. He paid the exorbitant bill for the twenty-hour procedure and the stay in the hospital and then arranged for a decoy car to be sent out and to Wayne Manor so that Rachel and Richard could leave privately in a car that Jonathan made one of the interns drive out.

Richard had to carry the unsteady Rachel who was still too weak to walk, but had insisted to leave the hospital despite the doctor's strong protests. They were avoiding Gar, Victor, and Rosie who did their best to understand Rachel and Richard's need to privately grieve.

Back at the Manor the two instantly disappeared into their bedroom and the door was shut and locked though no one tested it. Finally the next day a tired-looking and unshaven Richard appeared out of the door and went to the kitchen to blindly grab some leftovers from the refrigerator. On his way out he stopped. "Rosie, would you take care of Bennie please? Get her from the Hughes."

Rosie nodded and then quietly added. "I'm sorry, Richard."

He just walked out of the room.

The media discovered the news about the miscarriage three days after the fact. It was on each and every single news station. It was remarked on with sympathy on all but the most callous of talkshows. Then, horrifically, the picture of the miscarried infant somehow made its way into the press.

Lisa denounced every station that showed the photo and called such programs disgusting and demeaning for using the body of an infant to raise their ratings. Frank, likewise, wrote an article that was nationally syndicated calling the act of the news 'revolting and completely classless and tasteless' thing to do. Judge Hooper quickly had the photo sealed and Jonathan Lake worked to enact lawsuits against every station that had shown it.

Each day Rosie would make some food and set it out for Richard's daily journey to get food. He was always silent, but didn't look as deathly as he had. It shocked Gar to see how hard the look in Richard's eyes had become. Rachel never appeared.

Gar spent a lot of time with Bennie who, while not understanding the full intensity of the situation, was still extremely upset at no longer having a younger sibling. She also seemed attuned to her parents' devastation. He spent a lot of time holding the crying girl and trying fruitlessly to explain what death was to have so damaged their lives.

Karen offered to follow Victor to the manor so as to help take care of things, but Victor refused. It seemed callous to bring his wife with their four-month-old son into the house where Richard and Rachel had just lost their own child.

It was about a week later that while heading to the kitchen Richard stopped inside and then collapsed at the table. Gar was the only other one in the room. There was utter silence for awhile and then Gar moved closer. "Anything feel better yet?"

Richard propped his tired face up to look at Gar. The eyes were so dark now. "She won't heal herself," he said.

Gar blinked and it took a moment before he realized that Richard was talking about Rachel. "Why?"

"I've been trying to get her to heal herself since we got back. I don't know if she even can now. Maybe this has reversed all of the good things gained through Bennie's birth. She won't even eat on her own," Richard didn't seem to even really notice that he was speaking out-loud.

"Maybe she just needs more time?" Gar tried.

Richard suddenly looked up at him. "You know how she and I have that bond? That mental bond? I can feel how much it hurts, how much damage all of this did to her body. But she won't heal herself."

Victor walked in the door with a large sack of mail slung over his shoulder. "Do you want to go over all of this with me, Ga…" He looked shocked to see Richard. "Hey."

"What's that?" Richard nodded at the sack.

Victor shifted the bag on his shoulder. "This," he hesitated for words, "These are sympathy cards."

"Sympathy cards?" Richard's voice changed ever so slightly.

Victor sighed. "It's been on the news."

Richard didn't say anything and then he walked through the other kitchen door into the entertainment room and flipped on the television. Whoever had been watching it last had left it on one of the news stations. The timing was so incredibly bad.

"-has refused to comment on what the possible causes could be. Meanwhile the estate lawyers continue their fight against the first amendment over the controversy of the Grayson-Roth infant photo-"

And there it was. Up on the screen as a simple background shot for the newscaster to use as a prop. Richard actually stumbled backwards. Gar was on his feet and moving towards Richard as Victor snapped the television off.

"It's just been the worst of them," Gar was saying, "No one else is showing it. Judge Hooper is putting a gag order on it, the lawyers are working on it, the public _hates_ these newscasters for what their doing."

Richard's face was so unbelievably pale. He didn't seem to be able to even hear them and he just continued to stare at the now black television. "Richard, please."

His head suddenly snapped towards Gar and then to Victor. The expression was shocked, completely shocked. Then he turned and walked swiftly out of the room. They heard him move down the hallway and retreat back into his and Rachel's bedroom and slam the door shut.

"Goddamn television," Victor growled.

"Nice isn't it," Gar said in an uncharacteristically flat voice. "The first time he ventures form his room he get's a photo of his dead daughter thrown in his face."

That night there was a strange technological glitch on select news stations. It was almost impossible to actually find but it severely damaged the computers and satellite feeds and in some stations actually completely ruined the system knocking the station off the air completely. Replacements for entire systems were incredibly costly and took awhile.

There were some slight suspicions when it was found that the common denominator of all of the stations that had the glitch were the ones that had shown the photo, but the glitch was so entirely untraceable. And it was also known that Grayson and Roth hadn't left their manor since the return from the hospital.

It was finally decided that some anonymous supporter of the two had managed an incredible technological feat in brilliantly ruining the stations.

Gar was standing outside of Rachel and Richard's bedroom door. He felt nervous but went ahead knocked softly. There was a lot of silence and then Richard finally answered. He looked really tired, but at least that deathly expression was gone.

"Hey," Gar said quietly, "I was just wondering if you two were okay."

Richard just stared at him for a moment and then opened the door for Gar to go in. The drapes were drawn but a bit of dim light still made it in. The bed was terribly rumpled and there were dishes of uneaten food in piles on the floor. Rachel wasn't in the room and there was the sound of the shower running.

"I got her to take a shower," Richard said tiredly.

Gar just nodded. He stood for a moment and then took a seat at the end of the bed. They were silent as the sound of the water stopped and they heard the muffled sounds of Rachel stepping out of the shower. Richard stood and went to one of bureau drawers. After picking up a few items of clothing he headed into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Gar felt strange. He knew that it was strange that he was being admitted into their room. He didn't know what to say to them. He didn't know how, but he had become so close to the two of them. Never in the past would he have been allowed to even _see_ either Rachel or Richard in such a state.

His eyes widened when he saw Rachel emerge from the bathroom. It didn't look as though she had eaten at all since returning from the hospital. She was paler than she had ever been and that was saying a lot. "Hey Rachel," he said quietly.

"Hey Gar," her voice was completely devoid of any

Richard just stared at him for a moment and then opened the door for Gar to go in. The drapes were drawn but a bit of dim light still made it in. The bed was terribly rumpled and there were dishes of uneaten food in piles on the floor. Rachel wasn't in the room and there was the sound of the shower running.

"I got her to take a shower," Richard said tiredly.

Gar just nodded. He stood for a moment and then took a seat at the end of the bed. They were silent as the sound of the water stopped and they heard the muffled sounds of Rachel stepping out of the shower. Richard stood and went to one of bureau drawers. After picking up a few items of clothing he headed into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

Gar felt odd. He knew that it was strange that he was being admitted into their room. He didn't know what to say to them. He didn't know how, but he had become so close to the two of them. Never in the past would he have been allowed to even _see_ either Rachel or Richard in such a state.

His eyes widened when he saw Rachel emerge from the bathroom. It didn't look as though she had eaten at all since returning from the hospital. She was paler than she had ever been and that was saying a lot. "Hey Rachel," he said quietly.

"Hey Gar," her voice was completely devoid of any expression.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked after a moment.

She gave him an expression that was a remnant of her old piercing one and after a moment he realized the stupidity of his question. "I meant…physically. The stitches," he clarified.

Rachel continued to stare at him then she slowly nodded. "Yeah."

Gar was at a loss for words. There was nothing that he could say. Rachel walked unsteadily towards the bed, Richard hovered near her ready to catch her if need be. Gar almost couldn't watch. He knew that the doctor had tried to stop Rachel from leaving since she wasn't healed enough. He also knew that she could heal herself and that she was taking this pain as some sort of twisted penance.

Gar lowered his eyes towards the bed and then saw the bloodstains. They were in various spots on the sheets. His eyes suddenly landed on a discarded shirt lying on the ground with bloodstains on the lower abdomen and he realized that Rachel was still bleeding. Badly.

"Rachel, why aren't you healing yourself?" Gar said as his eyes stayed glued to the bloody shirt.

"I can't," she said hollowly. "Not until I stop feeling like this."

Richard was staring at Rachel in such a way. "You can send it to me," he said quietly, "I've told you that you can send those feelings to me and we'd deal with it together."

Rachel was already shaking her head. "No. You already have had enough."

"It's worse to see it like this," he said even more quietly.

It was so hard to watch. Gar knew that he shouldn't be there. But he also knew that he couldn't leave them this way. "You could channel it to me," Gar offered.

Both Richard and Rachel objected to this one. He was allowed to witness their pain, not to feel it. The three sat in silence for quite awhile. Suddenly Richard moved so that his face was near Rachel's. "If we need I'll take you back to the hospital," he said to her, "and you'll stay there until the doctors say you can leave."

She stared unblinkingly back. "I can't go out there," she said simply.

It grew dark. Gar's stomach was empty but he couldn't even think about food. It was painful in this room. He was startled by a light knock on the door. It opened slightly and there stood Bennie, dressed in her pajamas.

"Mom, Dad," she greeted almost shyly.

Richard managed a smile for her, Rachel managed a ghost of one. Bennie hesitated for a moment. "When are you going to come and be with me and Rosie again?"

"Soon," Richard said.

Bennie was looking at her mother. "Mom?" she said, "Mommy when are you going to come out? We can play and have fun and-"

"I don't know," Rachel said in a low voice.

Bennie looked down. "I love you mom."

Rachel didn't say anything. Bennie's lip trembled. "Bennie-bug, your mom isn't herself right now," Gar stood up and went over to Bennie who was fighting tears. She nodded quickly and then fled. Gar moved after her.

Rosie saw them fleeing the hallway and then froze when she noticed the door open for the first time. The moment she unfroze, without hesitation, she went into the room and stopped to look at them. Her eyes took in the slowly staining clothing that Rachel wore, the thinness of her body, the dullness of the eyes. Richard looked bad, but not like Rachel did.

After a moment Rosie walked over to the bed and sat on it so that she could reach out and touch Rachel's hair. "This is how you were when I first saw you," Rosie said.

Rachel was staring blankly at Rosie's face. "I can't cry anymore," she said simply.

Rosie stroked Rachel's head and then pulled the girl up closer to her so that Rachel's head was resting on her shoulder. She was silent for a moment and then spoke in a quiet but firm voice, "This wasn't your fault."

The air felt heavy. "You two already have a daughter," Rosie said, "This was so that you could enjoy the pregnancy. And you did. This wasn't your fault."

"I love you Rachel," Rosie said and she kissed the top of Rachel's head. "You're my child."

There was a very long pause. "I know it hurts," Rosie said softly, "I've felt it before. You have to share it with us. With Richard, with Gar, with me. I'd take this for you if I could," Rosie was still stroking Rachel's hair.

"This wasn't your fault," she repeated.

Gar returned from handing the crying Bennie off to Victor and halted just inside the door. Rosie was basically cradling Rachel in her arms and was rocking her slowly. Richard was standing at the end of the bed, his eyes glued to them.

"She was beautiful," Rosie said quietly, "This last daughter. You should be proud to have had her."

There was a sudden shuddering gasp and the most painful choking sobs that Gar had ever heard. It hurt him to hear it. Rachel's head was buried in Rosie's chest while Rosie was holding her tightly. Rosie stroked her head and kissed the top of it again. Rachel's fingers were white from how hard she was clutching Rosie's arm.

The gasping, choking, shudders ripped angrily through Rachel's body and the scene was so entirely horrific to watch that Gar looked away. He then caught sight of Richard who was now sitting exhaustedly on the floor his hands clutching his hair.

Rosie was still rocking Rachel. "We fixed you before, we'll do it again," she said softly. Richard looked up at the two with an unfathomable expression in his eyes.

It was hours later when Rachel finally cried herself into complete exhaustion. Rachel still wasn't physically healed, it was too much at the time, but Rosie knew that she would when she woke up. She looked up at Gar who now had a blank expression on his own face. But then her eyes were drawn to where Richard sat huddled on the floor.

"Gar, could you please leave?" Rosie said softly before sitting down beside Richard.

She waited until she heard the door close before speaking again. "You've saved her before, Richard. You can't do it every time."

There was a silence. "I used to be able to," he said after a moment. "I used to be able to save her every time."

"You were hurt too," Rosie said.

"It never mattered. I could always save her."

Rosie stopped to choose her words carefully. "Richard, I know that you can take a physical beating better than most and still go on with the fight. But neither you nor Rachel were ever able to do this. This isn't something that you can train for."

Richard looked up at her finally. The look in his eyes was dead. "We have an emotional bond. She's used it before to save me. But I couldn't do it back."

Rosie reached forward to take his wrists in her hands. She looked directly into his eyes. "Richard," she said steadily, "your baby daughter is dead."

Richard tried to look away from her but he couldn't break their gaze. "She didn't even get a start. She's not going to grow up. She's not going to sleep in that nursery you set up, she's not going to be there for you to hold, and she's not going to grow up to hug you back. You'll never hear her call you daddy."

His eyes were red and his hands twitched. Rosie kept their eye contact and mentally called herself cruel as she continued. "Cry for your dead daughter," she said quietly.

And he broke down and Rosie pulled him to her, much as she had done for Rachel.

* * *

And there it is.

Please Review.

So, I have some rather startling news. I'm retiring from Fanfiction. Writing/reading/reviewing, all the works. Though I do plan on following authors still (you know who you are). So, I've decided to just post what I have. If you want I'll also post the storylines that I _haven't_ yet written out. So, see ya.

Disclaimer: I do not own it.


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